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Itrue  Religion  delineated:, 

o  R, 

Experimental  Religion, 

As  diflinguilhed  from  Formality  on  the  one  Hand,  and 
Enthusiasm  on  the  other,  fet  in  a  Scriptural  and 
Rational  Light. 

In  Two  DISCOURSE  S, 

In  which  fome  of  the  principal  Errors  both  of  the 
Arminians  and  Antinomi ans  are  confuted,  the 
Foundation  and  Superftruflureof  their  different  Schemes 
demolifhed,  and  the  Truth  as  it  is  in  JESUS,  explained 
and  proved. 

The  whole  adapted  to  the  weakeft  Capacities,  and  defigned  for  th^ 
Ellablilhment,  Comfort  and  Quickening  of  the  People  of  GOD. 
in  thefc  Evil  Times. 


By  Jofeph  Bellamy^  A.  M. 

Minifter  of  the  Gofpel  at  Bethkm  in  Conne£licut. 


With  a  Preface  by  the  Rev.  Mr,  Edwards. 


Ifai.  XXX.  21.  And  thine  "Ears  Jhall  hear  aWordhehin^  thee,  faying,  this 
is  the  Way,  nualk  ye  in  it,  n^hen  ye  turn  to  the  right  Hand,  and  nvhen 
ye  turn  to  the  left. 

Matth,  vii.  13,  14.  Enter  ye  in  at  the  fir  ait  Gate  ;  for  ivide  is  the  Gate, 
and  broad  is  the  Way  that  leadeth  to  Dejlrufliony  and  many  there  he 
njohich  go  in  thereat :  Becaufe  firait  is  the  Gate,  and  narroruj  is  the  Waj^ 
nnhich  leadeth  unto  Life,  and  few  there  he  that  find  it. 


BOSTON: 
Printed  and  So^ld  b/  $,  K  n  £  e  i  a  n  d,  in  Queen-Street,    i  7  S  ^' 


PREFACE. 


|5||c#HE  Being  of  GOD  Is  reckon'dthe 
firft,  greateft  and  moft  funda- 
mental of  all  Things  that  are  the 
#####  Objeds  of  Knowledge  or  Beliet 
And  next  to  that  muft  be  rcckon'd  theNature 
of  that  Religion,  which  God  requires  of  us, 
and  muft  be  found  in  us,  in  order  to  our  en- 
joying the  Benefits  of  God's  Favour  :  Or  ra- 
ther this  may  be  efteemed  of  like  Importance 
with  the  other ;  for  it  in  like  Manner  concerns 
us  to  know  how  we  may  honour  and  pleafe 
God ,  and  be  accepted  of  Him,  as  it  concerns 
us  to  know  that  he  has  a  Being.  This  is  a 
Point  of  infinite  Confequence  to  every  fingle 
Perfon  ;  each  one  having  to  do  with  God  as 
his  fupreme  Judge,   who  will  fix  his  eternal 

A  2  State, 


State,  according  as  he  finds  him  to  be  with 
or  without  true  Religion."  And  this  is  alfo 
a  Point  that  vaftly  concerns  the  publick  In- 
terefts  of  the  Church  of  God. 

It  is  very  apparent,  that  the  Want  of  thoro' 
Diftindion  in  this  Matter,  thro'  the  Defect  ei- 
ther of  fufficient  Difcerning  or  Care,  has  been 
the  chief  Thing  that  has  obfcured,  obftrudcd 
and  brought  to  a  Stand  all  remarkable  Revi- 
vals of  Religion,  which  have  been  lince  the 
Beginning  of  the  Reformation  ;  the  very 
chief  Reafon  why  the  moil:  hopeful  and  pro- 
mising Beginnings  have  never  come  to  any 
more  than  Beginnings  ;  being  nipt  in  the  Bud, 
and  foon  followed  with  a  great  Increafc  of 
Stupidity,  corrupt  Principles,  a  profane  and 
atheiftical  Spirit,  and  the  Triumph  of  the 
open  Enemies  of  Religion.  And  from  hence, 
and  from  what  has  been  fo  evident  fromTime 
to  Time  in  thefe  latter  Ages  of  the  Church, 
and  from  the  fmall  Acquaintance  I  have  with 
the  Hiftory  qf  preceding  Times ;  I  can't  but 
think,  that  if  the  Events  which  have  appear'd 
from  Age  to  Age,  fhould  be  carefully  exa- 
mined and  confidered,  it  would  appear  that 
it  has  been  thus  in  all  Ages  of  the  Chriftian 
Church  from  the  Beginning. 

They 


C     iii     ] 

They  therefore  who  bring  any  Addition  of 
Light  to  this  great  Subjed,  T^he  Nature^  of 
true  Religmi^  a?2d  its  DiJiinSlmi  from  all 
Count effeits^  lliould  be  accepted  as  doing  the 
greateft  poffible  Service  to  the  Church  of 
God.  And  Attempts  to  this  End  ought  not 
to  be  defpifed  and  difcouraged,  under  a  No- 
tion  that  it  is  but  Vanity  and  Arrogance .  in 
fuch  as  are  lately  fprung  up  in  an  obfcure 
Part  of  the  World,  to  pretend  to  add  any 
Thing  on  this  Subjedt,  to  the  Informations 
we  have  long  fince  received  from  their  Fa- 
thers, who  have  lived  in  former  Times,  in 
New-England,  and  more  noted  Coun- 
tries. We  cannot  fuppofe,  that  the  Church 
of  God  is  already  poffefTed  of  all  that  Light, 
in  Things  of  this  Nature,  that  ever  God 
intends  to  give  it ;  nor  that  all  Sata?ts  Lurk- 
ing-Places  have  already,  been  found  out; 
And  muft  we  let  that  grand  Adverfary  alone 
in  his  Devices,  to  enfnare  &  ruin  the  Souls  of 
Men,  and  confound  the  Intereft  of  Religion 
amongft  us  ;  without  attempting  to  know 
any  Thing  further  of  his  Wiles,  than  others 
have  told  us ;  tho'  we  fee  every  Day  the  moft 
fatalEffeds  of  his  hitherto  unobferved  Snares  ; 
for  Fear  we  fhall  be  guilty  of  Vanity  or  Want 
of  Modefty,  in  attempting  to  difcern  any 

Thing 


[     iv     ] 

Thing  that  was  not  fully  obferved  by  our 
Betters  in  former  Times  ?  And  that,  what- 
ever pecuhar  Opportunities  God  gives  us,  by 
Ipecial  Dilpenfations  of  his  Providence,  to  fee 
fome  Things  that  were  over-look'd  by  them  ? 

The  remarkable  Things  that  have  come  to 
pafs  in  late  Times,  refpedting  the  State  of  Re- 
ligion, I  think,  will  give  every  wife  Obferver 
great  Reafon  to  determine  that  the  Counter- 
feits of  the  Grace  of  God's  Spirit,  are  many 
more  than  have  been  generally  taken  Notice 
of  heretofore  ;  and  that  therefore  we  ftand 
in  great* Need  of  having  the  certain  and 
diftinguifliing  Nature  and  Marks  of  genuine 
Religion  more  clearly  and  diftindly  fet  forth 
than  has  been  ufual ;  fo  that  the  Difference 
between  that  and  every  Thing  that  is  fpurious 
may  be  more  plainly  and  iurely  difcern'd, 
and  fafely  determined. 

As  Enquiries  of  this  Nature  are  very  im- 
portant and  neceffary  in  Themfelves,  fo  they 
are  what  the  prefent  State  of  Religion  in 
New-England,  and  other  Parts  of  the 
Britip^  Domimo77s^  do  in  a  peculiar  Manner 
render  neccffary  at  this  Seafon  ;  and  alfo  do 
give  peculiar  Opportunity  for  Difcoveries  be- 
yond 


[     V      ] 

yond  what  has  been  for  a  long  Time.  Satan 
transforming  himfelf  into  an  Angel  of  Light, 
has  fhewn  him/elf  in  many  of  his  Artifices 
more  plainly  than  ordinary  ;  and  given  iis 
Opportunity  to  fee  more  clearly  and  exadlly 
the  Difference  between  his  Operations,  and 
the  faving  Operations  and  Fruits  of  the  Spirit 
of  Chrift  :  And  we  fhould  be  much  to 
Blame,  if  we  did  not  improve  fuch  an  Ad- 
vantage. 

The  Author  of  the  enfuing  Treatife  has 
not  been  negligent  of  thefe  Opportunities. 
He  has  not  been  an  unwary  or  undifcerning 
Obferver  of  Events  that  have  occur'd,  thefe 
ten  Years  paft.  From  the  intimate  Acquain- 
tance with  him,  which  I  have  been  favoured 
with  for  many  Years,  I  have  abundant  Rea- 
fon  to  be  fatisfied  that  what  has  governed  him 
in  this  Publication,  is  no  Vanity  of  Mind, 
no  Affedlation  to  appear  in  the  World  as  an 
Author,  nor  any  Defire  of  Applaufe  ;  but 
a  hearty  Concern  for  the  Glory  of  GOD,  and 
the  Kingdom  and  Intereft  of  his  Lord  and 
Mafter  Jesus  Christ  ;  And,  that  as  to  the 
main  Things  he  here  infifts  on,  as  belonging 
to  the  diftinguifhing  Nature  and  Effence  of 
true  Religion,  he  declares  them,  not  only 

as 


[      vi      ] 

as  being  fatisfied  of  them  from  a  careful  Con- 
fideration  of  important  Fads  (which  he  has 
had  great  Opportunity  to  obferve)  and  very 
clear  Experience  in  his  own  Soul  ;  but  the 
moft  diligent  Search  of  the  holy  Scriptures, 
and  ftricS  Examination  ot  the  Nature  of 
Things  ;  and  that  his  Determinations  con- 
cerning the  Nature  of  genuine  ReHgion, 
here  exhibited  to  the  World,  have  not  been 
fettled  and  publiflied  by  him  without  long 
Conlideration,  and  maturely  w^eighing  all 
Objedlions  which  could  be  thought  of,  tak- 
ing all  Opportunities  to  hear  what  could  be 
faid  by  all  Sorts  of  Perfons  againft  the  Prin- 
ciples here  laid  down,  from  Time  to  Time 
converling  freely  and  friendly  with  Gentle- 
men in  the  Anfiintan  Scheme,  having  alfo 
had  much  Acquaintance,  and  frequent  long 
Converfation  with  many  of  the  People  called 
Separatijfs^  their  Preachers  and  others. 

And  I  cannot  but  exprefs  my  fincere 
Wifhes,  that  what  is  here  written  by  this 
reverend  and  pious  Author,  may  be  taken 
Notice  of,  read  without  Prejudice,  and  tho- 
roughly confidered  :  As  I  v^erily  believe, 
from  my  own  Perufal,  it  will  be  found  a 
Difcourfc  w^herein  the  proper  Effence  and 


C     vii     ] 

diftinguifhing  Nature  of  faving  Religicii  is 
deduced  from  the  firfl:  Principles  of  the  Ora- 
cles of  God,  in  a  Manner  tending  to  a  orreat 
Increafe  of  Light  in  this  infinitely  impor- 
tant Subjed: ;  difcovering  Truth,  and  at  the 
fame  Time  fhewing  the  Grounds  of  it  j  or 
fhewing  what  Things  are  true,  and  alfo  why 
they  are  true  ;  manifefting  the  mutual  De- 
pendance  of  the  various  Parts  of  the  true 
Scheme  of  Religion,  and  alfo  the  Founda-^ 
tion  of  the  Whole  ;  Things  being  reduced 
to  their  firfl  Principles  in  fuch  a  Manner, 
that  the  Conneaiion  and  Reafon  of  Things, 
as  well  as  their  Agreement  with  the  Word  of 
God,  may  be  eafily  feen  ;  and  the  true 
Source  of  the  dangerous  Errors  concerning 
the  Terms  of  God's  Favour  and  Qualifica- 
tions for  Heaven,  which  are  prevaiHng  at  this 
Day,  is  plainly  difcovered  ;  fhewing  their 
Falfhood  at  the  very  Foundation,  and  their 
Inconfiflence  with  the  very  firfl  Principles  of 
the  Religion  of  the  Bible. 

Such  a  Difcourfe  as  this  is  very  feafonable 
at  this  Day,  And  altho'  the  Author  (as  he 
declares)  has  aim'd  efpecially  at  the  Benefit 
of  Perfons  of  vulgar  Capacity  ;  and  fo  has 
ftot  laboured  for  fuch  Ornaments  of  Stile  and 

a  a  Lan- 


C   viii   3 

Language  as  might  beft  fuit  the  Gufl;  of  Men 
of  polite  Literature  ;  yet  the  Matter  or  Sub- 
fiance  that  is  to  be  found  in  this  Difcourfe, 
is  what,  I  truft,  will  be  very  entertaining  and 
profitable  to  every  ferious  and  impartial  Rea- 
der, whether  learned  or  unlearned. 


Northampton, 
Auguji  ^,  1750. 


Jonathan  Edwards. 


w 


}cifyn^;0e^¥  "^/'i/  ^^pt'A.j  y^<, 


The  Author's 


PREFACE 


%%^^^E  are  deftgned^  by  GOD  our  Maker ^  for  an  end- 

^#€*^*#  le[s  Exiftence.     In  this  frefent  Life  we  juft  tnter 

^%^^$^  upo^  Beings  and  are  in  a  State  introducing  to  a 

#^C*##  ^ever-ending  Duration  in  another  Worlds  where 

we  are  to  he  for  ever  unfpeakably  happy ^  or  mife- 

rahky  according  to  our  prefent  Conduct.     This  is  dejignedfor 

a  State  of  Probation  ;  and  that^  for  a  State  of  Rewards  and 

Punifliments.     We  are  now  upon  Trials  and  God^s  Eye  is  upon 

us  every  Moment  ♦,  and  that  Pi5fure  of  our  Selves^   which  we 

exhibit  in  our  Condu^,  the  whole  of  it  taken  together^  will 

give  our  proper  Chara5ler^   and  determine  our  State  for  ever. 

"This  being  defigned  for  a  State  of  "Trials  God   now  means  to 

try  us,  that  our  Condu5l  under  all  the  Trials   of  Life,  may 

difcover  what  we  be,  and  ripen  us  for  the  Day  of  Judgment ; 

when  God  will  judge  every  Man  according  to  his  Works,  and 

render  to  every  one  according  to  his  Doings.     He  does   not 

htend,  in  the  Difpenfations  of  his  Providence,  to  fuit  Things  tr> 

«  State  of  Eafe  and  Enjoyment,  which  is  what  this  Life  is 

not  defigned  for  ;  hut  to  a  State  of  Trial.     He  puts  Men  into 

trying  Circwrif^ances  of  fet  Purpofe,  and  as  it  were,  contrives 

Methods  to  try  them.   One  great  End  he  has  in  View,  is,  that 

he  may  prove  tkmy  and  biow  what  is  in  their  Hearts. 


a  a  2 


lie 


ii      The  Author's  PREFACE. 

He  did  not  lead  the  Children  of  Ifrael  direcfly  from  Egypt 
/^Canaan,  but  fir fi  thro'  the  Red  Sea,  and  then  out  into  a 
JVildemefs^  where  there  was  neither  Water ^  nor  Bread  nor 
Flefh  \  and  made  them  wander  there  forty  Tears^  that  he  might 
try  them,  and  prove  them,  and  know  what  was  in  their 
Hearts.  Deut.  8.2.  So  when  the  Chriftian  Religion  was 
introduced  into  the  Worlds  it  zvas  not  in  fuch  a  Way  as  Men 
would  have  chofen^  but  in  a  Manner  fui ted  to  a  State  of  Trial. 
"The  Son  of  God  did  not  coyne  in  outward  Glory ^  but  in  the 
Form  of  a  Servant  ;  not  to  reign  as  an  earthly  Prince^  but 
to  die  upon  the  Crofs  :  and  his  Apoftles  made  but  a  mean  Ap- 
pearance in  the  Eyes  of  the  World  :  and  that  Seel  was  every 
where  fpoken  againft^andperfecuted :  and  many  were  the  Stum- 
bling-blocks of  the  limes.  And  thefe  'Things  were  to  try  the 
Temper  of  Mankind.  —  And  when  Chriflian  Churches  were 
ere^led  by  the  indefatigable  Labours  of  St.  Paul  afid  others, 
that  God  might  thoroughly  try  every  Hearty  he  not  only  fuffered 
the  wicked  Wcrld  to  rife  in  Ams  againft  them,  but  alfo  let 
Satan  loofe,  to  transform  himfelf  into  an  Angel  of  Light, 
and,  as  it  were,  to  infpire,  and  fend  forth  his  Minifiers,  trans- 
formed into  the  Apoftles  of  Chrift,  to  vent  heretical  Do^rines^ 
and  foment  Strife  and  Divifion.  In  the  mean  while,  the  fe cure 
and  wicked  IVorld  looked  on,  pleafed,  no  doubt,  to  fee  their 
Debates  and  Divi/ions,  and  glad  they  could  have  fuch  a 
Handle  againft,  Chriftianity,  13  fo  good  a  Flea  to  juftify  their 
InfJelity.     And  God  delighted  to  have  Things  under  Circum- 

ftances  fo  perfectly  well  adapted  to  a  State  of  Trial. 

He  loved  to  try  the  Apoftles,  to  fee  how  they  would  be  affecled 
and  a5t  •,  when  not  only  the  World  was  in  Arms  againft  them, 
but  rriany  of  their  own  Converts  turned  to  be  their  Enemies  too, 
by  the  Influence  of  falfe  Teachers.  He  loved  to  try  private 
Chriftians,  to  fee  how  their  Hearts  would  be  affecled  towards 
the  Truths  of  the.  Gofpel.,  and  the  true  Minifters  of  Chrift,  afid 
towards  their  tsinpcral  Inter  eft  ;  while  the  Truths  of  the  Gof- 
pel  were  denied  or  perverted,  and  the  true  Minifters  of  Chrift 
dtfptfcd  &  ftigmatifcdy  by  Hereticks,  and  their  temporal  Inter  eft 
expofed  to  the  Rage  of  a  wicked  mercilefs  World.  And  he  loved 
ta  try  Hypocrites,  to  fee  whether  they  would  not  renounce  the 
Truth  they  pretended  fo  highly  to  value,  a}fd  become  difaffe^ed 

towards 


The  Author's  PREFACE.        iu 

toiJihnds  the  Minifters  of  Ch'ift  they  feemed  fo  dearly  to  love^ 
and  follow  falfe  fearbers,  or  fall  off  to  the  JVorld. 

It  is  reafonable  and  fit^  and  a  Thing  becoming  and  heauti^ 
fuly  that  Beings  in  a  State  of  Frohation  fhould  he  tried  :  and 
God  looks  upon  theprefent  outward  Eafe  and  Comfort  even  of 
his  own  People^  as  a  Matter  of  no  Importance^  compared  with 
Things  fpiritual  and  eternal.  Eternity^  with  all  it^s  Impor- 
tance^ lies  open  to  his  View  ;  and  Time  appears  as  a  Pointy 
and  all  it's  Concerns  as  Things  comparatively  of  no  Worth,  If 
the  Wicked  are  in  Profperity^  and  the  Righteous  in  Adverftty.^ 
or  all  Things  come  alike  to  all^  God  is  well-pleafed  ,  hecaufe 
Things  of  Time  are  of  fo  little  Importance^  and  hecaufe 
fuch  an  Adminifiration  of  Things  is  fuited  to  a  State  of  TriaU 
There  will  he  Time  enough  hereafter^  for  the  Righteous  to  he 
rewarded^  ayid  the  Wicked  punifhed.  In  this  View  of  Things^ 
we  may.,  in  a  Meafure.,  underftand  the  darkeft.,  and  account  for 
the  mofi  myfteriousy  Difpenfatic7ts  of  divine' Providence^  and 
difcern  the  Wifdom  of  the  divine  Government, 

It  has  douhtlefs  appeared  as  a  Thing  firange  and  dark  to 
many  pious  Perfons^  and  occaftoned  not  a  little  Perplexity  of 
Mind.,  to  ohferve  what  has  come  to  pafs  in  New-Englandy^;?<;^ 
the  Tear  1740.  That  there  fhould  he  fo  general  an  Out-pour- 
ing  of  the  Spirit.,  fo  many  Hundreds  and  Thoufands  awa- 
kened all  over  the  Country  ^  and  fuch  an  almofi  univerfal  exter- 
nal Reformation.,  and  fo  many  receive  the  Word  with  Joy  ; 
and  yet,,  after  all.,  Things  come  to  he  as  they  now  are :  fo 
many  fallen  away  to  carnal  Security.,  and  fo  many  turned 
Enthufiafls  and  Hereticks.,  and  the  Country  fo  generally  fettled 
in  their  Prejudices  againft  experimental  Religion  and  the 
T)c5frines  of  the  Gofpel^  and  a  Flood  of  Arminianifm  and 
Immorality.,  ready  to  deluge  the  Land.  But  as  firange  and 
dark  as  it  may  hanje  feemed^  yet  douhtlefs  if  any  of  us  had 
lived  with  the  Ifraelites  in  the  Witdernefs,  or  in  the  three  firft 
Ages  after  Chrift^  or  in  the  Time  of  the  Reformation  from> 
Popery,  the  Bifpenfations  of  divine  Providence  would  upon 
the  whole  have  appeared  much  more  myfterious  than  they  do 
now.  And  yet  thofe  were  Times  when  God  was  doing  glorious 
Things  for  his  Church, — And  indeed^  it  has  happened  in  our 

Bey, 


iv       The  Author's  PREFACE. 

"Day^  however  ftrange  it  may  feem  to  us,  no  otherwife  *tha» 
our  Saviour  foretold  it  commonly  would  under  the  Gofpel-JDif- 
penfatioHy  at  kaft  ^till  Satan  is  hound,  that  he  may  deceive  the 
Nations  no  more.  'The  So^tx  goes  forth  to  fow,  andfome  Seed 
falls  by  /^^ Way-Side,  ^  fame  on  ftony,  IS  fome  on  thorny,^;^^ 
[ome  on  good  Ground  ;  and  while  he  is  f owing  good  Seed,  an 
Enemy  in  the  Night,  the  Devil  unobferved,  fowsTzrts  :  Now 
when  the  Sun  is  up,  i.  e.  when '  new  Times  come  on,  and 
Trials  approach,  the  main  of  the  Seed  is  lojl  -,  not  only  what 
fell  by  the  Way-Side,  but  alfo  what  fell  on  the  flony  and 
thorny  Ground.  And  when  the  good  Ground  is  about  ■  to 
hring  forth  Fruit,  the  Tares  begin  to  appear  too.  Mat.  13. 
Thus  it  has  always  been,  —  This  is  a  State  of  Trial,  and  God 
has  permitted  fo  many  fad  and  awful  Things  to  happen  in 
Times  of  Reformation,  with  Defign  to  prove  the  Children  of 
Men,  and  know  what  is  in  their  Hearts, 

The  Toung  People  almofi  all  overl>^  tv^ -Enghnd  pr  of ejfed,they 
would  for  ever  renounce  youthful  Vanities,  andfeek  the  Lord. 
*'  Well",  God,  in  the  Courfe  of  hisProvidence,  as  it  were,  fays, 
"  I  will  try  you. ''^  Seeming  Converts  exprejfed  great  Love 
to  Chrift,  his  Truths,  and  Minifers,  and  Ways  -,  "  Well,'* 
fays  God,  "-^  1  will  try  you."  Multitudes,  being  Enemies  to 
all  true  Religion,  longed  to  fee  the  whole  Reformation  fall  into 
Difgrace,  and  Things  return  to  their  own  Channel  \  and  they 
fought  for  Objections  and  Stumbling-Blocks  :  "  Well,"  fays 
God,  "  Tou  may  have  them,  and  I  will  try  and  fee  how  you 
''  will  be  affeuied,  and  what  you  will  fay,  and  whether  you 
"  will  be  as  glad  when  the  Caufe  of  my  SON  is  betrayed  by 
"  the  Mif carriages  of  thofe  that  profefs  to  be  his  Friends,  as 
*'  the  Jews  of  old  were,  when  my  SON  himfelf  was  betrayed 
"  into  their  Hands  by  Judas."  Thus  God  means  to  try  every 
one. 

A  compaffionate  Senfe  of  the  Exercifes,  which  godly  Perfons^ 
efpecially  among  common  People,  anight  be  under  in  thefe  evil 
hays,  while  fome  are  fallen  away,  and  others  are  clapping 
their  Hands  andrejoycing  with  all  their  Hearts  to  fee  Zion  laid 
wafle  •,  while  Arminians  are  glofftng  their  Scheme,  and  ap- 
pealing to  Reafon  and  common  Senfe,  as  tho*  their  Principles 
were  near  or  quite  felf -evident  to  all  Men  of  Thought  and 

Candour  ; 


The  Author's  PREFACE.       -v 

Candcur  -,  and  while  Enthufiafts  are  going  about  as  Men  in- 
fpired  and  immediately  fent  by  the  Almighty^  prete riding  to  ex- 
traordinary SanSliiy^  and  bold  in  it  that  they  are  Jo  holy  in 
themfelves^  and  fo  entirely  on  the  Lord's  Side^  that  all  godly 
People  muft^  and  can't  but^  fee  as  they  do^  and  fall  in  with 
them^unlefs  they  are  become  blind^dead  and  carnal^  and  got  back 
into  the  World  -,  A  compaffionate  Senfe^  ^  f^h  of  the  Exercifes 
of  Mind,  which  pious  Perfons  among  common  People  might 
have,  in  Juch  a  trying  Situation  of  Wings,  was  the  firfi 
Motive,  which  excited  me  to  enter  upon  this  Work,  which  I 
now  offer  to  the  Public k.  And  to  make  divine  Truths  plain 
to  fuch,  and  to  Jirip  Error  naked  before  their  Eyes,  that  they 
might  be  eftablifhed  and  comforted  and  quickned  in  their  Way 
Heaven-ward,  was  the  End  I  had  in  View.  And  accordingly  I 
have  laboured  very  much  to  adapt  my  f elf  to  the  loweiiCapaci- 
ties,  not  meaning  to  write  a  Book  for  the  Learned  and  Polite, 
hut  for  common  People,  and  efpecially  for  thofe  that  are 
godly  among  tkem. 

io  thefe  therefore,  that  they  may  read  what  I  have  writ- 
ten with  the  greater  Profit,  I  will  offer  thefe  two  Dire^liom. 

(i.)  Labour  after  determinate  Ideas  of  God,  and  aSenfe 
of  his  infinite  Glory.  This  will  fpread  a  Light  over  all  the 
'Duties  and  Doctrines  of  Religion,  and  help  you  to  underfiand 
the  Law  and  the  Gofpel,  and  to  pry  into  the  Myfieries,  and 
difcern  the  Beauties,  of  the  divine  Government,  By  much 
the  greateii  Part  of  what  I  havewritten,befides  fhewingwhat 
GOD  is,  conjijis  in  but  fo  many  Propojitions  deduced  from  the 
divine  Perfe^ions.  Begin  here  therefore,  and  learn  what 
GOD  is,  and  then  what  the  moral  Law  is  •,  and  this  will 
help  you  to  underfiand  what  our  Ruin  is,  and  what  the  Way  of 
our  Recovery  by  free  Grace  thro*  Jesus  Christ.  The  Bible 
is  dejignedfor  rational  Creatures,  and  has  God  for  it^s  Author  ; 
and  you  may  therefore  depend  upon  it^  that  it  contains  a  Scheme 
perfectly  rat  tonal, divine  ^glorious.  And  the  Pleafure  of  divine 
Knowledge  will  a  thoufandTimes  more  than  recompence  all  your 
Reading,  Study  andPains  :  Only  content  not  your  f elves  with  a 
general  fuperficial  Knowledge,  but  enter  thoroughly  iyitoThings^ 

(2.)  Pradlife,  as  well  as  read.  The  End  of  Reading 
and  Knowledge  ii  Pra^ice,     And  holy  Pra^ice  will  help 

you 


vi       The  Author's  PREFACE. 

you  to  underftand  "xhat  you  read.  Love  GOD  with  all  your 
Heart,  mid  your  Neighbour  as  your  felt  -,  and  you  can't 
hut  underftand  me^  whils  in  the  firji  Bifcourfc  I  Jhew  what 
is  implied  in  thefe  two  great  Commands.  Andpratlife  Repen- 
tance towards  God  a7id  Faith  towards  our  Lord  Jelus 
Chrift  ;  and  thefecond  Bifccurfe^  which  treats  of  the  Nature 
of  the  Gofpel  and  a  geyiuine  Compliance  thcrcuoith.,  uill  natu- 
rally become  plain  and  eafy.  And  ivhile  you  daily  ftudy  di- 
vine Truths  in  your  Heads.,  and  digefi  thcm>  well  in  your 
Hearts.,  and  pra5iije  them  in  your  hives.,  your  Knowledge  and 
Holiness  will  increafe^  and  God's  Word  &  Providence  be  better 
finderftood.,  your  perplexing  Difficulties  will  be  more  folved^ 
and  you  he  eftablijhed^jlrengthned  and  c  confer  ted.,  in  your  Way 
Heaven-ward  \  and  your  Light  Jhiniitg  before  Men.,  they  will 
fee  your  good  Works,  and  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven  will 
be  glorified. J/ 1  which  are  the  h tarty  Beftre  and  Prayer 

Your  Servant  in  Jesus  Christ, 


Bethlem,  April 
25th.   1750. 


Jofeph  Bellamy, 


^rue  Religion  delineated. 

DISCOURSE     I. 

Shewing  the  Nature  of  the  Divine  Law,  and 
wherein  confifts  a  real  Conformity  to  it. 


MATTH.  xxii.  37,  3 S,  39,  40. 

Jefas  /aid  unto  him^  nou  fialt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  Hearty  and  with  all  thy  Soul^  and  with  all  thy  Mind, 
nis  is  the  firft  and  great  Commandment.  And  the  fecond 
is  like  unto  it.,  Thou  jh alt  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  [elf , 
On  thefe  two  Commandments  hang  all  the  Law  and  the 
Prophets. 

The  Introduction. 

^lllll^mRUE  Religion  confifts  in  a  Conformity  to  the  ' 
^lil^llfw  Law  oi  God,  and  in  a  Compliance  with  the 
^11  Xm^  Gofpel  of  Chrift.  The  Religion  of  innocent 
fl^#^m  Man  confifted  only  in  a  Conformity  to  the 
l^#^Sll^  I-aw;  the  Law  of  Nature,  with  the  Addi- 
tion of  one  pofitive  Precept  :  he  had  no  need  of  Gofpel- 
Grace.  But  when  Man  loft  his  Innocency  and  became 
guilty  and  depraved,  when  he  fell  under  the  Wrath  of  God 
and  Power  of  Sin  ;  he  needed  a  Pvedeemer  and  a  Sanctifier  : 

B  and 


2  True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  L 

and  in  the  Gofpel  a  Redeemer  and  a  SandliRer  are  provided, 
and  a  Way  for  our  obtaining  pardoning  Mercy  and  fandify- 
ing  Grace  is  opened  •,  a  Compliance,  with  which,  does  now 
therefore  become  Part  of  the  ReHgion  of  a  fallen  Creature. 
Now  if  we  can  but  rightly  underftand  the  Law^  and  rightly 
underftand  the  Gofpel^  we  may  eafily  fee  wherein  a  Confor- 
mity to  the  one,and  a  Compliance  with  the  other,  does  con- 
lift  :  and  fo  what  true  Religion  is. — For  the  prefent,  let  us 
take  the  Laiv  under  Confideration.  And  it  will  be  proper 
to  inquire  into  thefe  following  Particulars. —  i .  WhatDuty 
does  God  require  of  us  in  his  Law  ? —  2.  From  what  Mo- 
tives mail  that  Duty  be  done  ? —  3.  What-4s  that  precife 

Meafure  of  Duty  which  God  requires  in  his  Law  .'' 

And  a  fhort,  but  very  clear  and  plain  Anfwer  to  all  thefe 
Queflions  we  have  before  us  in  our  Text  ;  which  is  the 
Words  of  our  blefled  Saviour,  and  in  which  he  does  upon 
Delign  declare  what  the  Sum  andSubflance  of  the  Law  is. — 
He  had  a  Queflion  put  to  him  in  thefe  Words  -,  "  Mailer, 
which  is  the  great  Commandment  in  theLaw  ?"  To  which 
he  anfwers — "  Thou  ihalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thyHeart  &c.  this  is  the  firfl. — The  fecondisiikeuntoit  &c." 
The  ten  Commandm^ents  are  fum'd  up  in  thefe  two,  and 
every  Duty  enjoined  in  the  Law,  and  inculcated  in  the  Pro- 
phets, are  but  fo  many  Dedudlions  from  thefe  two,  in  which 
all  are  radically  contained.     A  thoro  underftanding  of  thefe 

two  will  therefore  give  us  aninfight  into  all. Let  us  now 

therefore  begin  w^th  taking  xhtjirft  of  thefe  into  particular 

Confideration. 'Then  JJj alt  Icve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 

thy  Heart  &c. Here  is  —  i.  The  Duty  required,  viz. 

Love  to  God. —  2.  The  Grounds  &  Reafons  of  the  Duty  in- 
timated. Becaufe  he  is  the  Lord  our  God. 3 .  The  Mea- 
fure of  Duty  required.    JVith  all  thy  Heart  &c. 

In  difcourfing  upon  thefe  Words,  I  will  therefore  endea- 
vour to  ihew, 

I.  What  is  implied  in  Love  to  God. 

II.  From  what  Motives  we  are  required  to  love  Him. 

III.  What  is  tliat  Meafure  of  Love  which  is  required. 

Section 


and  dtjlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   3 

S  E  CT  I  Ot?      I. 

Shewing  what  is  implied  in  Love  to  GOD. 

I.  I  am  to  fhew  ijohat  is  implied  in  Love  to  GOD. 

And 

I .  A  true  Knowledge  of  God  is  implied.  For  this  lays  the 
Foundation  for  Love.  A  fpiritual  Sight  of  God,  and  a 
Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty,  begets  Love.  When  He 
that  commanded  the  Light  to  fhine  out  of  Darknefs,  fhines 
in  our  Hearts,  and  gives  us  the  Light  of  the  Knowledge  of 
the  Glory  of  God  ;  and  when  we  with  open  Face  behold 
as  in  a  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  then  we  are  changed 
into  the  fame  Image  :  The  Temper  and  Frame  of  our 
Hearts  becom.e  like  God's  :  (To  fpeak  after  the  Manner  of 
Men)  we  begin  to  feel  towards  God,  in  a  Meafure  as  he 
does  towards  himfelf ;  i.  e.  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts. 
2  Cor.  3.  18.  ^  4.  6.  For  now  we  begin  to  perceive  the 
Grounds  and  Reafons  of  that  infinite  Efleem  he  has  of 
Himfelf,  and  infinite  Complacency  in  Himfelf,  and  why 
he  commands  ail  the  World  to  love  and  adore  him.  And 
the  fame  Grounds  and  Reafons  which  move  him  thus  to 
love  Flimfelf,  and  command  all  the  World  to  do  fo  too,  do 
enkindle  the  divine  Flame  in  our  Hearts.  When  we  fee 
God,  in  a  Meafure,  fuch  as  he  fees  Himfelf  to  be,  and  have 
a  Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  what  he  is,  in  a 
Meafure,  as  he  Himfelf  has,  then  we  begin  to  love  him 
with  the  fame  Kind  of  Love,  and  from  the  fame  Motives, 
as  he  Himfelf  does  :  only  in  an  infinitely  inferiour  Degree, 
This  Sight  and  Senfe  of  God,  difcovers  the  Grounds  of  Love? 
to  him  :  We  fee  why  he  requires  us  to  love  him,  and  why 
we  ought  to  love  him,  how  right  and  fit  it  is  j  and  fo  wc 
Cannot  but  love  him. 

This  true  Knowledge  of  God  fuppofes,  that  in  a  Mea- 
^ire,  we  fee  God  to  be  juft  fuch  a  One  as  he  is  j  and,  in  a 
Meafure,have  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  &  Beautyin  being 
fuch.  For  if  our  Apprehenfions  of  God  are  not  right,  it 
is  not  God  we  love,   but  only  a  falfe  Image  of  him  framed 

B  2  in 


4,  7rue  Religion  delineated         Dis.  \. 

m  our  own  Fancy.*  And  if  we  have  not  a  Senfe  of  his 
Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  what  he  is,  it  is  impofTible  we 
ihould  genuinely  love  and  efteem  him  for  being  fuch.  To 
love  God  for  being  what  he  is,  and  yet  not  to  have  any 
Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  fuch,  implies  a  Con- 
tradidlion.  For  it  fuppofes,  we  have  a  Senfe  of  his  Glory 
and  Beauty  when  we  have  not  :  a  Senfe  of  the  Beauty  and 
Amiablenefs  of  any  Obiecl  being  always  neceiTarily  im- 
plied in  Love  to  it.  Where  no  Beauty  or  Amiablenefs 
is  feen,  there  can  be  no  Love.  Love  cannot  be  forced. 
Forced  I^ove  is  no  Love.  If  we  are  obliged  to  try  to  force 
our  felves  to  love  anyBody,  it  is  a  Sign  tliey  are  very  odious 
in  our  Eyes,  or  at  leall  that  we  fee  no  Beauty  nor  Amiable- 
nefs in  them,  no  Form  or  Comelinefs,  wherefore  we  fhould 
defire  or  delight  in  them.  {Cant.S.  7.)  In  all  Cafes,  fo  far 
as  we  fee  Beauty,  fo  far  we  love,  and  no  farther. 

Moft  certainly,  that  Knowledge  of  God  which  is  necefTary 
to  lay  a  Foundation  of  a  genuine  Love  to  him,  implies  not 
only  right  Apprehenfions  of  ^ivbat  He  is^  but  alio  a  Senfe  of 
his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  fuch  -,  for  fuch  a  Knowledge 
of  God  as  confifbs  meerly  in  Speculation^  let  it  rife  ever  fo 
high,  and  be  ever  fo  clear,  will  never  move  us  to  love  Him. 
Mere  Speculation^  where  there  is  no  Senfe  of  Beauty^  will  no 
fooner  fill  the  Heart  with  Love,  than  a  Looking-Glafs  will 
be  filled  with  Love  by  the  Image  of  a  beautiful  Counte- 
nance, which  looks  into  it.  And  a  mere  fpeculative  Know- 
kdge  of  God,  will  not,  cannot,  beget  a  Senfe  of  his  Beauty 

in 

.  *  How  falfe  and  dangerous  therefore  is  that  Principle,  "  That  it  is  no 
Matter  what  Men's  Principles  be,  if  their  Lives  be  but  good." —  Juft 
as  if  that  external  Conformity  to  the  Law,  might  be  called  a  good 
Life,  which  does  not   proceed  from   a  genuine  Love  to  God  in  the 

Heart  : or  juft  as  if  a  Man  might  have  a  genuine  Love  to  God 

in  his  Heart,  without  having  right  Apprehenfions  of  Him  ! or  juft 

as  if  a  Man  might  have  right  Apprehenfions  of  God,  let  his  Appre- 
henfions be  what  they  will  !  Upon  t\ns'?v\nQ\'^\c,Heathcns,Jc'ws,  and 
Maho?nctans,  may  be  faved  as  well  as  ChnJHans.  And  upon  this 
Principle,  the  Heathen  Nations  need  not  much  trouble  themfelves  to 
know  w^ch  is  the  right  God  among  all  the  Gods  that  are  worfhipped 
in  the  World,  for  it  is  no  Matter  nxhich  God  they  think  is   the  true, 

if  their  Lives  are  but  good. But — why  has  God  revealed  him- 

fclf  m  his  Word,  if  right  Apprehenfions  of  God  be  a  Matter  of  fuch 

Indifferency 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    5 

in  being  what  he  is,  whenas  there  is  naturally  no  Difpofition 
in  our  Hearts  to  account  Him  glorious  in  being  fuch,  but 
wholly  to  the  contrary.  Rom,  8 . 7,  The  carnal  Mind  isEnmity 
againji  God.  When  Natures  are  in  perfedt  Contrariety,  (thC' 
one  finful,  and  the  other  holy,)  tlie  more  they  are  known  to 
each  other,  the  more  is  mutual  Hatred  ftirred  up,  and  their 
entire  Averiion  to  each  other  becomes  more  ferifible.  The 
more  they  know  of  one  another,  the  greater  is  their  Diflike, 
and  the  plainer  do  they  feel  it.  •  Doubtlefs  the  fallen  An- 
gels have  a  great  Degree  of  fpeculative  Knowledge,  they 
have  a  very  clear  Sight  and  great  Senfe  of  what  God  is  : 
but  the  more  they  know  of  God,  the  more  they  hate  him, 

i.  e, 

Indifterency  in  Religion? — And  why  did.  St.  Paul  take  fuch  Pains  to 
convert  the  heathen  Nations  to  Chriftianity,  and  fo  much   fill  up  his 
Epiftles  to  them  afterwards  with  doSlrinal  Points ^  and  ho  fo  Jirenuous  as 
to  fay,  "  If  an  Angel    from  Heaven  fhould  preach  any  other  Gof- 
pel,  LET  HIM  BE  ACCURSED/'  if  right  Apprehenfions  of  God, 
and  right  Principles  of  Religion  be  a  Matter  of  fuch  IndifFerency  ! — 
'Tis  ftrange  that  fuch  a  Notion  fhould  be  ever  once  mentioned  by  any 
that  pretend  to  be  Chrijiians,  fmce  it  is  fubverfive  of  the  whole  Chrifliaa 
Religion  :  making  Chrijlianity  no  fafer  a  Way  to  Heaven  than  Paga- 
nifm.     Yea,  fuch  a  Principle  naturally  tends  to  m.ake    all  thofe  who 
imbibe  it,  leave  Lo-ve  to  God,  and  Faith  in  Chrijly  out  of  their  Religion, 
and  quiet  themfelves  with  a  meer  empty  Form  of  e;rternal  Duties. 
Or  in  other  Words,   it  tends  to  make   them  leave  the  La^j  and  the 
Go/pel  out  ,of  their  Religion,    and  quiet  themfelves  with  jnerf  Heathen 
Morality,     For  a  Man  cannot  attain  to  Lo'ue  to  God  7md.Frith  in  Chriji, 
without  right  Apprehevfions  Xif  God  and  Chriji.     Or  in  other  Words,  a 
Man  cannot  attain  to  a  real  Conform.ity  to  the  Law,  and  to  a  genuine 
Compliance  with  the  Gofpel,   unlefs  his  Principles  refpeding  the  Law 
and  Gofpel  are  right  :  But  a  Man  may  attain  to  a  ^ood  Life,  exter- 
nally^ let  his  Apprehenfions  of  God  and  Chriji ^  of  La'vj  and  Gofpel,  and 
all  his  Principles  of  Religion,  be  what  they  will.     Let  him  be  a  Hea- 
.  then,  or  Jew,  a  M^ometan,   or  Chriftian  ;   yea,    if  a  Man   be  an 
Atheift,  he  may  livi'i  good  Life  externally  ;  for  any  Man  has  fuffi- 
cient  Power  to  do  every  external  Dut}^ ;  and  'tis  many  times  much  for 
Men's  Honour  and  worldly  Intereft  to  appear  righteous  outwardly  before 
Men.  Matth.  23.  28. 
N.  B.  What  is  here  faid,  may  with  a  little  Alteration,  be  as  well  applied 
to  fome  other  Sorts  of  Men.     So  the  Moravians  fay  "  They  care  not 
what  Men's  Principles  be,  if  they  do  but  love  the  Saviour."     So  in 
Ne<vj'Englandy  there  are  Multit-udes  who  care  little  or  nothing  what 
jDoftrines  Men  believe,  if  they  are  but  full  of  FLAMING  ZEAL. 
Juft  as  if  it  were  no  Matter-  what  a  Kind  of  Sa'viour  we  frame  an 
Idea  of,    if  we  do  but  love  him  ;  nor  what  we  are  zealous  about,  if 
we  are  but  FLAMING  HOT. 


6  T*rue  Religion  delineated        Dis,  I. 

i.  e.  their  Hatred  and  Averfion  is  ftirred  up  the  more,  and 
they  feel  it  plainer.  So  awakened  Sinners, when  under  deep 
and  thoro  Conviction,  have  comparatively  a  very  clear  Sight 
&nd  great  Senfe  of  God  ;  but  it  only  makes  them  lee  and 
feel  their  native  Enmity,  which  before  lay  hid.  A  Sight 
und  Senfe  of  what  God  is,  makes  them  fee  and  feel  what 
his  Law  is,  and  fo  what  their  Duty  is,  and  fo  what  their 
Sinfulnefs  is,  and  fo  what  their  Danger  is  :  It  makes  the 
Commandment  come^  and  {o  Sin  revrjes,  and  they  die.  Rom. 
7.  7,  8,  9.  The  clearer  Sight  and  the  greater  Senfe  they  have 
of  what  God  is,  the  more  plainly  do  they  perceive  that  per- 
feft  Contrariety  there  is  between  his  Nature  and  their's. 
Their  Averfion  to  God  becomes  difcernible.  They  begin 
to  fee  what  Enemies  they  be  to  him  :  And  fo  the  fecrct 
Hypocrify  there  has  been  in  all  their  Pretences  of  Love,  is 
difcovered  :  And  fo  their  high  Conceit  of  their  Goodnefs, 
and  all  their  Hopes  of  finding  Favour  in  the  Sight  of  God 
upon  the  Account  of  it,  ceafe,  die  away,  and  come  to  no- 
thing. Sin  revived,  and  I  died.  The  greater  Sight  &  Senfe 
they  have  of  what  God  is,  the  plainer  do  they  feel  that  they 
have  no  Love  to  him ;  but  the  greatefl  Averfion.  For  the 
more  they  know  of  God,  the  more  their  native  Enmity  is 
ilirred  up.  So  again,  as  foon  as  ever  an  unregenerate  Sin- 
ner enters  into  the  World  of  Spirits,  where  he  has  a  much 
clearer  Sight  and  greater  Senfe  of  what  God  is  ;  immedi- 
ately his  native  Enmity  works  to  Perfe6ti6n,  and  he  blaf- 
phemes  like  a  very  Devil  :  And  that  altho  perhaps  he  died 
full  of  feeming  Love  and  Joy.  As  the  Galatians^vAio  once 
loved  Paul,  fo  as  that  they  could  even  have  plucked  out 
their  Eyes  and  given  him  *,  yet  when  afterwards  they  came 
to  know  more  clearly  what  Kind  of  a  Man  he  was,  then 
they  turned  hisEnemies.  And  fo  finally,  all  the  Wicked  at 
the  Day  of  Judgment,  when  they  fhall  fte  very  clearly  what 
Godis,will  thereby  only  have  ail  the  Enmity  of  their  Hearts 
ftirred  to  Pcrfedtion.  — From  all  which  it  is  exceeding  mani- 
feft  that  the  cleared  fpeculative  Knov/ledge  of  God,  is  fo  far 
from  bringing  an  unholy  Heart  to  love  God,  that  it  will 
only  ftir  up  the  more  Averfion.  And  therefore  that  Know- 
ledge .of  God  whict  lays  the  Foundation  for  Love,  muft 

imply 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.    7 

imply  not  only  right  Apprehenfions  of  what  God  is,  but 
alfo  a  Senfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty  in  being  fuch.  * 

Wicked  Men  and  Devils  may  know  what  God  is,  but 
none  but  holy  Beings  have  any  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory 
and  Beauty  in  being  fuch  ;  which  Senfe  in  Scripture-Lan- 
guage is  called y^^/?/^  and  knowing,  i  Joh.  ^.6.  JVhofoever 
ftnnethy  hath  not  feen  him,  neither  known  him.  iii  Joh.ver.  1 1 ,, 
He  that  doth  Ezil  hath  not  feen  God.  i  Joh.  2.  4.  He  that 
faith .^  I  know  him.,  and  keepeth  noi  his  Commandments yis  aLiar^ 
and  the  Truth  is  not  in  him.  Becaufe  wicked  Men  have  no 
5enfe  of  his  Glory  and  Beauty,  therefore  they  are  faid  not  to 
know  God.  For  all  Knowledge  without  this  is  vain,  it  is 
but  the  Form  of  Knowledge.  Rom.  2.  lo.  It  will  never  in-, 
kindle  divine  Love.  And  in  Scripture  Sinners  are  faid  to 
be  blind.,  becaufe  after  all  their  Light  and  Knowledge,  they 
have  no  Senfe  of  God's  Glory  in  being  what  he  is,  and  fo 
have  no  Heart  to  love  him.  And  hence  alfo  they  are  faid  to 
be  dead.  They  know  nothing  of  the  ineffable  Glory  of  the 
divine  Nature,  and  the  Love  of  God  is  not  in  them.  Joh. 
5.  42.  and  8.  19,55. 

2.  Another  Thing  implied  in  Love  to  God  is  Efteem. 
Efteem,  ftridly  fpeaking,  is  that  high  &  exalted  Thought 
of,  and  Value  for,  any  thing ;  which  arifes  from  a  Sight  and 
Senfe  of  its  own  intrinfick  Worth,  Excellency  and  Beauty. 
So  a  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory,  Excel- 
lency and  Beautyy^f  the  mod:  high  God,  begets  in  us  high 
and  exalted  Thoughts  of  him>  and  makes  us  admire,  won- 
der 

*  I  grant,  that  If  all  our  Enmity  againU  God  arifes  merely  from  our  con- 
ceiving him  to  be  our  Enemy,  then  a  Manifeftation  of  his  Love  to 
our  Souls  will  caufe  our  Enmity  to  ceafe,  and  bring  us  to  love  him  ; 
nor  v/ill  there  be  any  need  of  a  Senfe  of  the  moral  Excellency  of  his 
Nature  to  produce  it  ;  and  fo  there  will  be  no  Need  of  the  fanftifying 
Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit.  A  Manifeftation  of  the  Love  of  Go4 
to  our  Souls  will  effedlually  change  us.  - —  And  thus  a  Man  may  be 
under  great  Terrors  from  a  Senfe  of  the  Wrath  of  God,  and  may 
fee  the  Enmity  of  his  Heart  in  this  Senfe  :  and  may  afterwards  have, 
as  he  thinks,  great  Manifeftations  of  the  Love  of  God,  and  be  filled- 
with  Love  and  Joy  :  and  after  all,  never  truly  fee  the  Plague  o^  his 
ewn  Heart,  nor  have  his  Nature  renewed.  And  a  Man's  ha\  lug 
experienced  fuch  a  falfe  Converfion,  naturally  leads  him  tofraiji^^- 
wrong  Notions  of  Religion,  and  blinds  his  Mind  againft  th?  'ii\iik. 
Many  of  the  Mtimmian  Principles  tal;c  Rife  from  tfis  Quaru-;. 


8  True  Religion  deli72eated         Dis.  I. 

der  and  adore.  Hence,the  heavenly  Hods  fall  down  before 
the  Throne,  and  under  a  Senfe  of  his  ineffable  Glory,  con- 
tinually cry,  /-A/y,  holy^  holy  Lord  Gcd  Almighty^  the  ivhole 
Earth  is  full  of  thy  Glory,  And  Saints  here  below,  while 
they  behold  as  in  a  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  are 
ravifhed  j  they  efteem,  they  admire,  they  wonder  and 
adore  -,  and  under  fome  feebler  Senfe  of  the  ineffable  Glory 
of  the  divine  Nature,  they  begin  to  feel  as  they  do  in  Hea-- 
ven,  and  to  fpeak  their  Language,  and  fay,  "  Who  is  a 
God  like  unto  thee  !  Thy  Name  alone  is  excellent,  and  thy 
Glory  is  exalted  above  the  Heavens.'* 

This  high  Efteem  of  God,  difpofes  and  inclines  theKeart 
to  acquiefce,  yea,  to  exult,  in  all  the  high  Prerogatives  Gcd 
afllimes  to  himfelf. 

God  from  a  Confcloufnefs  of  his  own  infinite  Excel- 
lency, his  entire  Right  to  and  abfolute  Authority  over  all 
Things,  is  difpofed  to  take  State  to  himfelf,  and  Honour 
and  Majefty,  the  Kingdom,  the  Power  and  the  Glory  ;  and 
he  fcts  up  himfelf  as  the  mofh  high  God,  fupreme  Lord 
and  fovereign  Governour  of  the  whole  World,  and  bids  all 
Worlds  adore  him,  and  be  in  a  moft  perfe£l  Subjection  to 
him,  and  that  with  all  theirHearrs  i  and  efteems  the  Wretch, 
who  does  not  account  this  his  higheft  Happinefs,  worthy  of 
eternal  Damnation.  God  thinks  it  infinitely  becomes  him 
to  fet  up  himfelf  for  a  GOD,  &  to  command  all  the  World 
to  adore  him,  upon  Pain  of  eternal  Damnation.  He  thinks 
himfelf  fit  to  govern  the  World,  and  that  the  Throne  is  his 
proper  Place,  and  that  all  Love,  Honour  andObedience  are 
his  Due.  '-  I  am  the  Lord,  (fays  he,)  and  befides  me  there 
*^  is  no  Gcd.  1  am  the  Lord,  that  is  my  Name,  and  my 
*'  Glory  will  I  not  give  to  another.  And  thus  and  thus  fhall 
"  ye  do,  for  I  am  the  Lord.  And  curfed  be  every  one  that 
"  continues  not  in  all  Things  written  in  the  Book  of  the 
*'  Law  to  do  them."  Now  it  would  be  infinitely  wicked 
for  the  higheft  Angel  in  Heaven  to  afTume  any  of  this  Ho- 
nour to  himfelf ;  but  it  infinitely  becomes  the  moft  high 
God  thus  to  do.  And  when  we  fee  his  infinite  Dignity, 
GreatnefsjGlory  andExcellency,  and  begin  rightly  to  efteem 
him  ;  then  his  Condudl  in  all  this  will  begin  to  appea.r  infi- 
nitely right  and  fit,  and  fo  infinitely  beautiful  and  ravifhing, 

aad 


and  dijlingtiijhed fro7n  all  Counterfeits.    9 

and  worthy  to  be  rejoyced  and  exulted  in.  Pfal.  <)i,  i.'The 
Lordrdgneth,  let  the  Earth  rejoyce  :  Let  the  Multitude  of  the 
IJles  he  glad  thereof. 

And  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  fuprcme,  infinite  Glory  and 
Excellency  ot    the  divine  Nature,  v/ill   not  only  make  us 
glad  that  he  is  GOD  and  KING  andGOVERNOURibut 
alfo  exceeding  glad  that  we  live  under  his  Government,and 
nreto  be  his  Subjeds  and  Servants,  andtobe  athisDiipofe.— 
It  will  Ihew  us  the  Grounds  and  Reafons  of  his  Law,  how 
infinitely  right  and  fit  it  is  that  we  fiiould  love  him  with  all 
our  Hearts,  and  obey  him  in  eveiy  Thing  :  How  infinitely 
unfit  and  wrong  the  leaft  Sin  is  :  And  how  juft  the  threat- 
ned  Punifiiment.      And  at  the  fame  Time   it  will  help  us 
to  fee,    that  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  are  as  a  Drop  of 
the  Bucket,  or  fmall  Dull:  of  the  Ballance,  before  him  -,  and 
that  we  our  felves  are  nothing  and  lefs  than  nothing  in  his 
Sight.     So  that  a  right  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  fupreme,  in- 
finite Glory  of  God^  will  make  us  efteem  him,  fo  as  to  be 
glad  that  he  is  on  the  Throne,  and  we  at  his  Footftool  ^  that 
he  is  King,  and  we  his  Subjects  •,  that  he  rules  and  reigns, 
and  that  we  are  abfolutely  in  Subjedion,  and  abfolutely  at 
his  Difpofe.     In  a  Word,  we  Ihall  be  glad  to  fee  him  take 
all  that  Honour  to  himfelf  which  he  does,  and  fhall  be  hear- 
tily reconciled  to  his  Government,  and  cordially  willing  to 
take  our  own  proper  Places  ,  and  hereby  a  Foundation  will 
begin  to  be  laid  in  our  Hearts  for  allThings  to  come  to  rights, 
Job  42 .  S:>^.  I  have  heard  of  thee  by.  the  hearing  of  the  Ear  : 
But  now  mine  Eye  feeth  thee.     Wherefore  I  abhor  my  f elf  and 
repent  in  Bufi  and  Afhes,     Ifa.  2.  11.  ne  lofty  Looks  of  Man 
fhall  be  humbled,,  and  the  Haughtinefs  of  Man  fhall  be  brought 
down,,  and  the  Lord  alone  fhall  be  exalted, —  And  that  all  this 
is  imphed  in  a  genuine  Love  to  God,  not  only  the  Reafon  of 
the  Thing  and  the  plain  Tenour  of  Scripture  manifeft,  but 
it  is  even  felf-evident  ^  for  if  we  do  not  fo  efteem  God  as  to 
be  thus  glad  to  have  him  take  hisPlace  and  we  ours^  it  argues 
fecret  Difiike,  and  proves  that  there  is  fecret  Rebellion  in  our 
Hearts.     Thus  therefore  muft  we  efteem  the  gloriousGod, 
or  be  reputed  Rebels  in  his  Sight. 

3 .  Another  Thing  implied  in  Love  to  God  may  be  call'd 
Benevolence.    When  we  arc  acquainted  with  any  Perfon,and 

he 


lo  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

he  appears  very  excelleat  in  our  Eyes,  andwc  highly  elleem 
him,  it  is  natural  now  heartily  to  wifh  him  well  •,  we  are 
concerned  for  his  Intcreft,  we  are  glad  to  fee  it  go  well  with 
him,  and  forry  to  fee  it  go  ill  with  him  •,  and  ready  at  all 
Times  chearfully  to  do  what  we  can  to  promote  hisWelfare. 
Thus  Jonathan  felt  towards  David.  And  thus  Love  to 
God  will  make  us  feel  towards  him,  his  Honour  and  Intereft 
in  the  World.  When  God  is  feen  in  his  infinite  Dignity, 
Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excellency,  as  the  moft  high  God, 
fupremeLord,and  fovereignGovernourof  the  whole  World ; 
and  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  W^orthinefs  is  hereby  railed  in 
our  Hearts  ;  this  enkindles  a  holy  Benevolence,  the  native 
Language  whereof  is,  Let  God  be  glorifiedy  Pfal.  96.  7,  8. 
And  be  thou  exalted,  O  God,  above  theHeavens :  Let  thy  Glory 
beMhove  all  the  Earth,  Pfal.  p^y,  5,  n. 

This  holyDifpofition  fometimes  exprefTes  it  felf  in  earneft 
Longings  that  God  would  glorify  himfelf,  and  honour  his 
great  Name  \  and  bring  all  the  World  into  an  entire  Sub- 
jedion  to  him.  And  hence  this  is  the  native  Language  of 
true  Love,  Our  Father  which  art  in  Heaven,  Hallowed  be  thy 
Name,  tloy  Kingdom  come,  thy  Will  be  done,  on  Earth  as  it  is 
in  Heaven.  Mat.  6.  9,  10. —  And  hence,  when  God  is  about 
to  bring  to  pafs  great  and  glorious  Things  to  the  Honour 
of  his  great  Name,  it  caufes  great  Joy  andRejoycing.  Pfal. 
96.  II,  12,  13.  Let  the  Heavens  rejoyce,  and  let  the  Earth  be 
glad  :  Let  the  Sea  rcre,  and  thefulnefs  thereof,  let  the  Field  be 
joyful,  and  all  that  is  therein  :  ^henfhall  the  'Trees  of  iheWood 
rejoyce,  before  the  Lord  \  for  he  cometh,for  he  ccmeth  to  judge 
the  Earth,  he  fJjall  judge  the  IVorld  with  Right eoufnefs, and  the 
People  with  his  Truth. 

And  hence  again,  when  God  feems  to  be  about  to  do, 
or  permit,  any  Thing,  which,  as  it  feems  to  us,  tends  moft 
certainly  to  bring  Reproach  and  Diflionour  upon  his  great 
Name,it  occafions  the  greateft  Anguiih  &  Diftrefs.  Thus 
lays  God  to  Mofes^  "  This  is  aftiff-aecked  People,  let  me 
**  alone  that  I  may  deftroy  them  in  a  Moment,  and  I  will 
"  make  of  thee  a  great  Nation."  But  fays  Mofcs,  "  What 
"  will  become  of  thy  great  Name  ?  What  will  the  Egypti^-^ 
**  ansizy}  And  whatwilltheNations  all  round  about  fay?" 

Aii4  he  mourns  and  wreftles,   crys  and  prays,   begs  and 

pleads, 


and  difli7tguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits,   i  x 

pleads,  as  if  his  Heart  would  break.  And  fays  he,  "  If  I 
"  may  not  be  heard,  but  this  Difhonour  and  Reproach 
^'  muft  come  upon  thy  great  Name  ;  it  can't  comfort  me, 
''  to  tell  me,  of  making  of  me  a  great  Nation  :  Pray  \tt 
"  me  rather  die  and  be  forgotten  for  ever,  and  let  not  my 
"  Name  be  numbered  among  the  living,  but  let  it  be  blot- 
"  ted  out  of  thy  Book."  V/ell,fays  God,  "I  will  hear  thee. 
*'  But  as  truly  as  I  live,  I  will  never  put  up  thefe  Affronts; 
"  but  the  whole  World  Hiall  know  what  a  holy  and 
"  Sin-hating  God  I  am,  and  be  filled  v/ith  my  Glory  :  For 
"  the  Carcafes  of  all  thofe,  who  have  treated  me  thus,fhall 
"  fall  in  the  Wildernefs  ^  and  here  they  fhall  wander  'till 
'*  forty  Years  are  accomplifh'd,  and  then  I  v/ill  do  fo  and 
"  fo  to  their  Children,  and  fo  fecure  the  Honour  of  my 
"  Power,  Truth  and  Faithfulnefs."  And  now  Mofes  is 
content  to  live  in  the  Wildernefs,  and  do  and  fuffer  and  un- 
dergo any  Thing,  if  God  will  but  take  Care  of  his  great 
Name.  Exod.  32.  Numb.  14. — And  as  it  is  diftreffing  to  a 
true  Lover  of  God,  to  fee  God's  Name  and  Works  and 
Ways  fall  into  Reproach  and  Contempt  •,  and  as  on  the  o- 
ther  Hand  there  is  no  greater  Joy  then  to  fee  God  glorify 
himfelf ;  (Exod.  15.  J  Hence,  this  World,  even  on  this  Ac- 
count, may  be  fitly  called  a  Vale  of  "Tears  to  the  People  of 
God,  becaufe  here  they  are  always  feeing  Reproach  and 
Contempt  caft  upon  God,  his  Name,  his  Works  and  his 
Ways.  And  hence,  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  all  thefeTears 
fhall  be  wiped  away  from  their  Eyes,  becaufe  then  they  fhall 
ifee  all  Things  turned  to  the  Advancement  of  the  Glory  o\ 
his  great  Name,  throughout  the  endlefs  Ages  of  Eternity. 
Rev.  19.  I,  2,3,4,  5. 

Again,  this  divine  Benevolence  or  wifhing  that  God  may 
be  glorified,  fometimes  exprefles  it  felf  in  earnefl  Longings 
that  all  Worlds  might  join  together  to  blefs  and  praife  the 
Name  of  the  Lord  :  And  it  appears  infinitely  fit  &  right, 
and  fo  infinitely  beautiful  and  ravifhing,  that  the  whole  in- 
telligent Creation  fhould  for  ever  join  in  the  mofl  folemn 
Adoration.  Yea,  and  that  Sun,  Moon,  Stars  ;  Earth,  Air, 
Sea  ;  Birds,  Beafls,  Fifties  •,  Mountains  and  Hills,  and  all 
Things  fhould  in  theirWay,  difplay  the  divine  Perfedtions, 
and  praife  the  Name  of  the  Lord,  becaufe  his  Name  alone 

is 


12  True  Religion  delineated  Dis,  I. 

is  excellent  and  his  Glory  is  exalted  above  the  Heavens. 
And  hence  the  pious  Pfalmiji  fo  often  breathes  this  divine 
Language.  Pfal.  103.  20,  21,  22.  Blefs  the  Lord^  ye  his 
Angels^  that  excel  in  Strength^  that  do  his  Commayidments  •, 
hearbiing  unto  the  Voice  of  hisWord,  Blefs  ye  thcLord^  all  ye 
his  Hojls^  ye  Miniifers  of  his  that  do  his  Pleaftire,  Blefs  the 
Lord  all  his  PForks^  in  all  Places  of  his  Dominion  :  Blefs  the 
Lord^  0  my  Soul,  Pfal.  148.  i, — -13.  Praife ye  the  Lord. 
Praife  ye  the  Lord  from  the  Heavens  :  Praife  him  in  the 
Heights.  Praife  hifn^  all  ye  his  Angels  :  Praife  him,  all  his 
HoJifs.  Praife  him.  Sun  and  Moon,  &c.  Let  thetn  praife  the 
Name  of  the  Lord  \  for  his  Name  alone  is  excellent,  &c.  See 
alfo  the  95,  96,  97,  &  98th  Pfalms,  &c.  &c. 

Lajlly,  From  this  divine  Benevolence,  arifes  a  free  and 
genuine  Difpofition  to  dedicate,conlecrate,  devote  and  give 
up  our  felves  entirely  to  the  Lord  tor  ever  ;  to  walk  in  all 
his  Ways,  and  keep  all  his  Commands,  feeking  his  Glory. 
For  if  we  defire  that  God  may  be  glorified,  we  fhall  natu- 
rally be  difpofed  to  feek  his  Glory.  A  Sight  and  Senfe  of 
the  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excellency  of 
God,  the  great  Creator,  Preferver  and  Governour  of  the 
World,  who  has  an  entire  Right  unto,  and  an  abfolute  Au- 
thority over  all  Things,  makes  it  appear  infinitely  fit  that 
all  Things  fhould  be  for  him,  and  him  alone  ;  and  that  we 
fhould  be  intirely  for  him,  and  wholly  devoted  to  him  •,  and 
that  it  is  infinitely  wrong  to  live  to  ourfeives,  and  make  our 
own  Intereft  our  laft  End.  The  fame  Views  which  make 
the  Godly  earneftly  long  to  have  God  glorify  himfelf^  and 
to  have  all  the  World  join  to  give  him  Glory,  thoroughly 
eno-a^e  them  for  their  Parts  to  live  to  God.  After  David 
had  called  upon  all  others  to  blefs  the  Lord,  he  concludes 
with,  Blefs  the  Lord,  0  my  Soul.  And  this  is  the  Language 
of  Heaven,  Rev.  4.  1 1 .  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  re- 
ceive  Glory,  and  Honour,  and  Power  :  For  thou  haft  created 
all  Things,  and  for  thy  Pleafure  they  are.,  and  were  created. 
And  it  was  thtwMaxim  in  the  Apoftles  Days,  Whether  they 
eat  or  drank,  or  whatever  they  did,  all  muft  be  done  to  the 
Glory  of  God,  i  Cor.  10.  31.  And  it  was  their  Way,  not  to 
live  to  themfclves,  but  to  the  Lord  -,  (  2  Cor.  5.  15.  )  Yea, 
Whether  they  livedo  to  live  to  theLord  ,  or  whether  they  diedy 

t9 


and  diftingtiijked  from  all  Counterfeits.  1 3 

to  die  to  the  Lord.  Rom.  14.7,8.  This  was  what  they  com- 
mended. Fhil.  2.  20,  21.  And  this  was  what  they  enjoined, 
as  that,  in  which  the  very  Spirit  of  true  ReHgion  confifted. 
Eph,  6.  5,  6,  7.    I  Cor.  6,  20.    Rom.  12.  i.  &  7.  4. 

All  rational  Creatures,  a6ling  as  fuch,  are  always  influ- 
enced by  Motives  in  their  whole  Conduct. — Hiofe  Things 
are  always  the  moil  powerful  Motives,  which  appear  to  us 
mofl:  worthy  of  our  Choice. —  The  principal  Motive  to  an 
Action,  is  always  the  ultimate  End  of  the  Adlion.  Hence, 
if  God,  his  Honour  and  Interefl,  appear  to  us  as  the  fu- 
pream  Good,  and  moil  worthy  of  our  Choice,  then  God, 
his  Honour  and  Interefl,  will  be  the  principal  Motive  and 
ultimate  End  of  all  we  do.  If  we  love  God  fupreamily,  we 
fhall  live  to  him  ultimately.  If  we  love  him  with  all  our 
Elearts,  we  fliall  fcrve  him  with  all  otir  Souls. — Juft  as  on 
the  other  Hand,  if  we  love  our  felvcs  above  all,  then  Self- 
Love  will  abfolutely  govern  us  in  all  Things.  If  Self-In- 
tereft  be  the  principal  Motive,then  Self-Interefl:  will  be  the 
lafb  End,  in  our  v/hole  Condud:. —  Thus  then  we  fee,  that 
if  GOD  be  highefh  in  Efteem,  then  God'^s  Interefl  will  be 
the  principal  Motive  and  the  lad  End  of  the  whole  Condu6l 
of  rational  Creatures  :  And  if  SELF  be  highefl  in  Efleem, 
then  Self-Intereft  will  be  the  principalMotive  and  lail  End. 
And  hence  we  may  obferve,  that  where  Self-Buerefl govGvns 
Men,  they  are  confidered  in  Scripture,  as  ferving  themfehes. 
(Hof.  1 0.1.  Zee.  7.  c,.,6.)  And  v^hevt  Gcd's  Interefl  governs^ 
they  are  confidered  as  ferving  the  Lord.  2  Cor.  5.  15.  Gal. 
I.  10.  Eph.  6.  5,  6,  7.  compared  with  Tit.  2.  9,  10.  To 
love  God  lb  as  to  ferve  him.,  is  vv^hat  the  Law  requires  ;  To 
love  Self  fo  as  to  ferve  Self.,  is  Rebellion  againil  theMajeily  of 
Heaven.  And  the  fame  infinite  Obligations  w^hich  we  are 
under  to  love  God  above  our  felves  ;  even  the  fame  infinite 
Obligations  are  we  under,  to  live  to  God  ultimately,  and 
not  to  our  felves.  And  therefore  it  is  as  great  a  Sin  to  live 
to  our  felves  ultimately  ;  as  it  is  to  love  our  felves  fupremcly. 

4.  and  lailly.  Delight  in  God,  is  alfo  implied  in  Love  to 
him.  By  Delight  we  commonly  mean,thatPleafure,  Sweet- 
nefs  and  Satisfaction,  which  v/e  take  in  any  l^hing  that  is 
very  dear  to  us.  When  a  Man  appears  very  excellent  to  us, 
and  we  efteem  him,    and  wifn  him  all  Good  •,  wc  alfo  at 

the 


14  Irue  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

the  fame  Time,  feel  a  Delight  in  him,    and  a  Swectnefs  in 
his  Company  and  Converfation.    We  long  to  fee  him  when 
abfent ;  we  rejoyce  in  his  Prefence  ;  the  Enjoyment  of  him 
tends  to  make  us  happy.     So  when  a  holy  Soul  beholds 
God  in  the  infinite  moral  Excellency  and  Beauty  of  hisNa- 
ture,  and  loves  him  fupreamly,  and  is  devoted  to  him  en- 
tirely, nov/  alfo  he  delights  in  him  fuperlatively.     His  De- 
light and  Complacency  is  as  great  as  his  Eflcem,  and  arifes 
from  a  Senfe  of  the  fame  moral  Excellency  and  Beauty. — 
From  this  Delight  in  God  arife  Longiii^'i  after  further  Ac- 
quaintance with  him,  and  greaterNearnefs  to  him.  Job  23.3, 
O  that  I  knewwhere  I  ruightfindhim^  that  I  might  come  even 
to  his  Seat !  —  Longings  after  Communion  with  him.  Pfah 
63.  I,  2.  O  God,  thou  art  my  God,  early  ivill  Ifeek  thee :  My 
Soul  thirfteth  for  thee,  7ny  Flefrj  loweth  for  thee  in  a  dry  and 
thirfiy  Land,  where  no  Water  is :  '1  c  fee  thy  Power  and  thy 
Glory,  fo  as  Ihavefeen  thee  in  the  San6iuary.  /.  8.  My  Soul 
followeth  hard  after  thee. — A  holy  Rejoycing  in  God.  Hab. 
3.  17,  18.    Altho  the  Figtree  fhall  not  Blcffom,  neither  fhall 
Fruit  he  in  the  Vine :  l^he  Labour  of  the  Olive  fJoall  fail,  and 
the  Field  fhall  yield  no  Meat,  the  Flock  fhall  be  cut  off  from 
the  Fold,  and  there  fhall  be  no  Herd  in  the  Stall :    2a  I  will 
rejoyce  in  the  Lord,  I  will  joy  in  the  Rock  of  my  Salvation. — 
Finally,  from  this  Delight  in  God  arifes  a  holy  Difpofiticn 
to  renounce  all  other  Things,   and  live  wholly  upon  him, 
and  take  up  everlailing  Content  in  him,  alid  in  him  alone. 
Pfal.  73.  25,26.  Whom  have  I  in  Heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there 
is  none  uponEarth  Idefire  befides  thee.     MyFlefo  a?id  my  Heart 
faileth,  but  God  is  the  Strength  of  my  Heart  and  my  Portion 
for  ever. — The  vain  Man  takes  Content  in  vain  Company  -, 
the  worldly  Man  takes  Content  in  Riches  \  the  ambitious 
Man  in  Honour  and  Applaufe  -,  the  Philofopher  in  Philo- 
fophical  Speculations  -,  the  legal  Hypocrite  in  his  Round  of 
Duties  ;  the  evangelical  Hypocrite  in  his  Experiences,  his 
Difcoveries,  his  Joys,  his  Raptures,  and  confident  Expeda- 
tion  of  Heaven  :   but  the  true  Lover  of  God  takes  his  Con- 
tent in  God  himfelf  Pfal.  4.  6,  7.     jj.nd  thus  we  fee  what 
is  implied  in  Love  to  God. 

And 


and  dijlinguijhed  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.   1 5 

And  now  that  this  is  a  right  Reprcfentation  of  the  Nature 
of  that  Love,  which  is  required  in  the  firfl  and  great  Com- 
mandn^ent  of  the  Law  upon  which  chiefly  all  the  Law  and 
theProphets  hang,is  manifeIl,not  only  from  theReafon  of  the 
Thing,  &  from  what  has  been  already  faid-,  but  alfo  from  this, 
that  fuch  a  Love  to  God  as  this,%j  a  fure  &  firm  Foundation 
for  all  holy  Obedience,     That  Love  to  God  is  of  ih^  right  Kind 
whichwill  effeduallyinfluenceustokeephisCommands.  Joh. 
15-  H-   I  Job,  2.  3,  4,  5.    But  it  is  evident  from  the  Na- 
ture of  Things,  that  fuch  a  Love  as  this  will  efF€6tually  in- 
fluence us  to  do  fo.     As  Self-love  naturally  caufes  us  to  fet 
up  Self  and  feek  Self-Interefl :    So  this  Love  to  God  will 
naturally  influence  us  to  fet  up  God  and  feek  his  Interefl. 
As  delight  in  the  World  naturally  makes  us  feek  after  the 
Enjoyment  of  the  World,  fo  this  delight  in  God  will  natu^ 
rally  influence  us   to  feek  after  the  Enjoyment  of   God. 
And  while  we  love  God  primarily  for  being  what  he  is,  we 
cannot  but  for  the  fame  Reafon,  love  his  Law,   which  is  a 
Tranfcript  of  his  Nature,  and  love  to  conform  to  it..   If  w© 
loved  him  only  from  Self-love,  from  the  fear  of  Hell,   or 
from  the  hopes  of  Heaven  -,  we  might  at  the  fam.e  time  hate 
his  Law  :  but  if  vv'e  love  him  for  being  what  he  is,  we  can- 
not but  love  to  be  like  him  :    which  is  what  his  Law  re- 
quires.    To  fuppofe  that  a  Man  loves  God  fupremely  for 
what  he  is  ^  and  yet  don't  love  to  be  like  him  ;  is  an  evi- 
dent Contradidion.     It  is  to  fuppofe  a  Thing  fupremely 
loved  ;  and  yet  at  the  fame  time  not  loved  at  all.     So  that 
to  a  Demonfl:ration,  this  is  the  very  Kind  of  Love  which  the 
Lord  our  God  requires  of  us.     So  Saints  in  Heaven  love 
God  perfedly,  and  fo  the  good  Man  on  Earth  begins  in  a 
weak  and  feeble  Manner  to  love  God  :  for  there  is  but  one 
Kind  of  Love  required  in  the  Law  ;  and  fo  but  one  Kind 
of  Love  which  is  of  the  right  Sort  :  for  no  Kind  of  Love 
can  be  of  the  right  Sort,  but  that  very  Kind  of  Love  v/hich 
the  Law  requires.     There  is  therefore  no  difference  between 
their  Love  in  Heaven,  and  our's  here  upon  Earth,  but  only 
iH  Degree.  ^ 


Sl<: 


TlO^f 


1 6  "True  Religmi  delineated        Dis.  L 

S   E   C   T   I  O  N       IL 

Shewing  from  "what  Motives  true   Love   to 
GOD    takes  its    Rife. 

IL  I  now  proceed  to  fnew  more  particularly,  from  'what 
Motives  we  are  rec^uired  thus  to  love  God.  Indeed  I  have 
done  this  in  Part  already.  For  I  have  been  oWiged  all  along, 
in  iliewing  what  is  innplied  in  Love  to  God,  to  keep  mvEye 
upon  the  firfb  and  chief  Ground  &  Reafon  of  Love,  name- 
ly what  God  is  in  himfelf.  But  there  are  other  Conhdera- 
tions,  which  increafe  our  Obligations  to  love  him  and  live 
to  him  •,  which  ought  therefore  to  come  into  the  Account. 
And  I  defign  here  to  take  a  general  View  of  ail  the  Rea- 
fons  and  Motives  which  ought  to  influence  us  to  love  the 
Lord  our  God  \  all  which  are  implied  in  thofe  Words,  The 
Lord  thy  Gcd.  Thm  JJjalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  voith  all  thy 
Heart,  i.  e.  becaufe  he  is  THE  LORD  and  OUR  GOD. 

I.  The  firft  and  chief  Motive  w^hich  is  to  influence  us  to 
love  God  with  all  ourHearts,  is  His  infinite  Dignity  i^  Great- 
mfs,  Glcry  ayid  Excellency  :  Or  in  one  Word,  His  infinite 
Amiahlencjs.  We  are  to  love  him.  with  all  our  Hearts,  be- 
caufe he  is  THE  LORD,  becaufe  he  is  what  he  is,  and 
juft  fuch  a  Being  as  he  is.  On  this  Account  primarily,and 
antecedent  to  all  other  Conflderations,he  is  infinitely  amiable; 
and  therefore  on  this  Account  primarily  and  antecedent  to 
all  other  Confiderations,  ought  he  to  appear  infinitely  amia- 
ble in  our  Eyes.  This  is  the  firft  &  chief  Reafon  &  Ground 
upon  which  his  Law  is  founded,  I  AM  TPIE  LORD  : 
{Exod.  20.  2.  Levit.  19.)  This  therefore  ought  to  be  the  firft 
and  chief  Motive  to  influence  us  to  obey.  The  principal 
Reafon  which  moves  him  to  require  us  to  love  him,  ought 
to  be  the  principal  Motive  of  our  Love.  If  tire  fundamen- 
tal Reafon  of  his  requiring  us  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts,  is,  becaufe  he  is  what  he  is  \  and  yet  the  Bottom  of 
our  Love  be  fomething  elfe  •,  then  our  Love  is  not  what 
his  Lav/  requires,  but  aThing  of  quite  another  Nature.  Yea 
if  the  Foundation  of  our  Love  to  God,  is  not  becaufe  he  is 
what  he  is,  in  Truth  we  love  him  not  at  all.  If  I  feel  a  Sort 
of  Refpcd  to  one  of  my  Neighbours  who  is  very  kind  to 

rae, 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   1 7 

mc,  and  either  do  not  know  what  a  Sort  of  Man  he  is,  or 
it  1  do,  yet  do  not  like  him  ;  it  is  plain,  it  is  his  KindnefTes 
I  love,  and  not  his  Perfon  ♦,  and  all  my  feeming  Love  to 
him,  is  nothing  but  Self-Love  in  another  Shape.  And  let 
him  ceafe  being  kind  to  me,  and  my  Love  will  ceafe.  Let 
him  crofs  me,  and  I  ihall  hate  him.  Fut  forth  thineHand 
now^  and  touch  all  that  he  hath^  and  he  will  curfe  thee  Id  thy 
Face  (]cki  i.ii.)  as  the  Devil  faid  concerning  Job,  And 
indeed  fo  he  would,  had  not  his  Love  to  God  taken  its  rife 
from  another  Motive,  than  God's  Kindnefles  to  him.  But 
why  need  I  multiply  Words  ?  For  it  feems  even  felf-evi- 
dent,  that  God's  Lovelinefs  ought  to  be  the  firfl  and  chief 
Thing  for  which  we  love  him. 

Now,  God  is  infinitely  lovely,  becaufe  he  is  what  he  is. 
Or  in  otherWordsjhisinfiniteDignity  &Greatnefs,Gloryahd 
Excellency,  are  the  Refult  of  his  natural  and  moral  Per- 
fections. So  that -it  is  a  clear  Sight  &  realizing  Senfe  of  his 
natural  &  moral  Perfe6lions,astheyare  revealed  in  hisWorks 
and  in  his  Word,  that  makes  him  appear  to  a  holy  Soul  as  a 
Being  of  infiniteDignity&  Greatnefs,Glory  and  Excellency. 
Thus  the  Queen  of  Sheba^  feeing  and  converfing  with  6"^?^- 
mon^  and  viewing  his  Works,  under  a  Senfe  of  the  large  and ' 
noble  Endowments  of  his  Mind,  was  even  ravifhed  ;  and 
Cried  out.  The  one  Half  was  not  told  me  I  And  thus  the  holy 
and  divinely  enlightned  Soul,  upon  feeing  God,  reading  his 
Word,  and  meditating  on  his  wonderful  Works  ;  under  a 
Senfe  of  his  divine  and  incomprehenfible  Perfedtions,  is  ra- 
vifhed with  his  infinite  Dignity,  Majefty,  Greatnefs,  Glory 
and  Excellency  j  and  loves,  admires,  and  adores  ;  and  fays, 
JVho  is  a  God  like  unto  thee ! 

His  natural  Perfections  are, 

(i.)  His  infinite  Under/landing  ;  whereby  he  knows 
himfelf,  and  all  Things  foffible  •,  and  beholds  all  Things 
paft,  prefent  and  to  come,  at  one  All-comprehenfive  View. 
So  that  from  Everlafting  to  Everlalling,  his  Knowledge  can 
neither  increafe  nor  diminifh,  or  his  Views  of  Things  fufFer 
the  leaft  Variation  •,  being  always  abfolutely  compleat,  and 
confequently  necelTarily  always  the  fame. 

(2.)  His  Almighty  Power  \  whereby  he  is  able,  with  infi- 
nite Eafe,  to  do  any  Thing  that  he  pleafes. 

C  And 


iS-  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

And  his  moral  Perfedlions  are, 

(i.)  His  infinite  Wifdom  \  whereby  he  is  able,  and  is  in- 
clined, to  contrive  and  order  all  Things  in  all  Worlds  for 
the  beft  Ends,  and  after  the  beft  Manner. 

(2.)  1l\\s  perfe5i  Holinefs  \  whereby  he  is  inclined,  infi- 
nitely to  love  Right,  and  hate  Wrong  :  Or  according  to 
Scripture-Phrafe,  to  love  Righteoufnefs  and  hate  Iniquity. 

(3.)  His  impartial  Jufiice ',  whereby  he  is  unchangeably 
inclined,  to  render  to  every  one  according  to  his  Deferts. 

(4.)  His  infinite  Goodnefs  •,  whereby  he  can  find  in  his 
Heart  to  bellow  the  greateftFavours  upon  his  Creatures,  if 
he  pleafes  •,  and  is  inclined  to  bellow  all  that  is  beft  -,  all 
Things  confidered. 

(5.)  His  Truth  and  Faithfulnefs  •,  whereby  he  is  inclined 
to  fulfil  all  his  Will,  according  to  his  Word  :  So  that  there 
is  an  everlafting  Harmony  between  his  Will,  his  Word, and 
his  Performance. 

And  his  Being,  and  all  his  natural  and  moral  Perfedions, 
and  his  Glory  and  Bleflednefs,  which  refults  from  them,  he 
has  in  himfelf,and  of  himfelf,  underived  •,  and  is  necelTarily 
infinite,  eternal,  unchangeable,  in  all ;  and  fo  abfolutely  In- 
dependent, Self-fufficient  and  All-fufficient. 
"  This  is  the  God,  whom  we  do  love  1 
"  This  is  the  God,  whom  we  adore  ! 
"  In  him  we  truft,  to  him  we  live  ^ 
"  He  is  our  All,  for  evermore." 

Now  there  are  three  Ways  by  which  thefe  his  Perfections 
are  difcovered  to  the  Children  of  Men  :  By  hisWorks,by 
his  Word,  and  by  his  Spirit.  By  the  two  firft,  we  fee  him 
to  be  what  he  is  :  By  the  laft,  we  behold  his  infinite  Glory 
in  being  fuch.  The  two  firft,  produce  a  fpeculativeKnow- 
ledge  :  The  laft,  a  Senfe  of  moral  Beauty. 

Firft^  He  difcovers  thefe  his  Perfe6lions  by  his  Works, 
i.  e.  by  his  creating^  preservings  and  governing  the  World  •, 
and  by  his  redeeming^  fan5fifying  and  faving  his  People, 

I .  By  his  creating  the  World.  He  it  is, who  has  ftretched 
abroad  the  Heavens  as  a  Curtain,  and  fpread  them  out  as  a 
Tent  to  dwell  in  :  who  has  created  the  Sun,  Moon  &  Stars  •, 
and  appointed  them  their  Courfes  :  who  has  hung  theEarth 
upon  nothing  :  who  has  fixed  the  Mountains,  and  bounded 

and 


mtd  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   1^ 

the  Seas,  and  formed  every  living  Creature.  All  the  hea- 
venly Hofts  he  hath  made,  and  created  all  the  Nations  that 
dwell  upon  the  Earth  :  and  the  Birds  of  the  Air,  and  the 
Beads  of  the  Field,  and  the  Fifhes  of  the  Sea,  and  every 
creeping  Thing,  are  the  Works  of  his  Hands  :  and  the 
meaneft  of  his  Works  are  full  of  unfearchable  Wonders,  far 
furpafTing  our  Undarftanding.  ^o  that  the  invifible  "Things 
ofGod^  from  the  Creation  of  the  Worlds  are  clearly  feen^  being 
underftood  by  the  Things  that  are  made^  even  his  eternal  Poiver 
and  Godhead.     As  St.  P^?// obferves,  in  Rom,  i.  20. 

2.  By  his  preferring  th eWorld,  His  Eyes  run  to  and  fra 
thro'out  all  the  World,  beholding  every  Thing.  HisEyesare 
upon  all  his  Works,  fo  that  even  theSparrows  are  not  forgotten 
by  him,  and  the  very  Hairs  of  our  Heads  are  all  numbred. 
And  he  holds  all  Things  in  being  •,  and  the  opening  of  his 
Hand  fills  the  Defires  of  every  living  Creature  :  even  the 
whole  Family  of  Heaven  and  Earth  live  upon  his  Goodnefs^ 
and  are  maintained  by  his  Bounty.  In  a  Word,  his  infinite 
Underflanding  fees  all,  his  infinite  Power  upholds  all,  his 
infinite  W^ifdom  takes  care  of  all,  and  his  infinite  Goodnefs 
provides  for  all  •,  and  that  every  Moment.  So  that  the  in- 
vifible Things  of  God  are  difcovered  in  preferving,  as  well 
as  in  creating  the  World.  And  hence  when  the  picusP/^/- 
mifi  meditates  on  the  Works  of  Creation  and  Prefervation, 
he  fees  God  in  them,and  views  his  Perfedions,and  is  touch'd 
at  Heart  with  a  Senfe  of  his  Glory,  and  is  filled  with  high 
and  exalted,  and  with  admiring  and  adoring  Thoughts  of 
God.  So  Pfal.  19.  I.  The  Heavens  declare  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord^^c.  And  PfaLg^.  i.  0  come  let  usftng  unto  the  Lor d^ 
&c. —  But  v/hy  ?  —  ii,  3.  For  the  Lord  is  a  great  Gody 
and  a  great  King,,  above  allGods. — But  how  does  this  appear  ? 
Why,i;^r.  4,5.  i)^  his  Hand  are  the  deep  Places  of  the  Earth  ; 
theStrength  of  the  Hills  is  his  alfo.  The  Sea  is  his,,  and  he  made 
it :  and  his  Hands  formed  the  dry  Land,,  f.  6.  0  therefore 
come  let  us  worfhip  and  bow  down^  let  us  kneel  before  the  Lord 
our  Maker, — And  again  in  Pfal,  96.  i.  Oftngunto  the  Lord 
a  new  Song  :  Sing  unto  the  Lord,,  all  the  Earth. —  But  why  ? 
— }^.4.  For  the  Lord  is  great,,  and  greatly  to  bepraifed  :  He  is 
to  be  feared  above  all  Gods. —  But  wherein  does  this  appear  ? 
ilh-Why — -f'.  5.  All  the  Gods  of  the  Nations  are  Idols :  but  the 
.  C  2  LORD 


20  T^rue  Religion  dilineated        Dis.  I. 

L0RlD7nr:detheHeav  ens. "Andionctmoxt'mV^A,  1 04.  i  ,2,&c. 
Blefs  the  Lcrdy  0  my  Soul. — But  why  ?  — Thou  art  very  great y 
thcu  art  cloathed  with  Honour  and  Majefty.  —  But  how  does 
this  appear  ? — Why  ? — Thou  haft  Jlr etched  out  theUeavens  as 
a  Curtain,  And  /.5.  And  laid  the  Foundations  of  the  Earthy 
that  it  cannot  be  removed  for  ever.  And  f.ij.Ad  wait  upon 
thee^  that  thou  may  ft  give  them  their  Meat  in  dueSeafon.  >' .2  8. 
That  thou  giveft  them^  they  gather  \  thou  openeft  thy  Hand.,  they 
are  filled  with  Good.  And  throughout  the  whole  Pfalm  he 
is  meditating  on  the  Creation  &  Frefervation  of  the  World; 
and  viewing  the  divine  Perfedlions  therein  difcovered,  and 
admiring  the  divine  Glory,  and  wondering  and  adoring  : 
And  finally  concludes  with,  Blefs  the  Lord.,  0  my  Soul : 
Praife  ye  the  Lord,  But, 

3.  His  Perfections  are  ftill  much  more  eminently  difplayedy 
in  that  moral  Government^  which  he  maintains  over  the  intel- 
ligent Part  of  the  Creation  :  efpecially  his  moral  Perfe^icns. 
In  the  Works  of  Nature  his  natural  Perfedions  are  to  be 
feen  :  But  in  his  moral  Government  of  the  World,  he  ads 
out  his  Heart,  and  fhews  the  Temper  of  his  Mind.  In- 
deed all  the  Perfedlions  of  God  are  to  be  feen  in  the 
Work  of  Creation  :  If  we  view  Angels  and  M'en,and  con- 
fider  what  they  were,  as  they  came  firfl  out  of  his  Hands  ; 
holy  and  pure.  But  ftill  God's  Condud:  towards  them  un- 
der the  Character  of  their  King  and  Governour,  more  evi- 
dently difcovers  the  very  Temper  of  his  Heart.  As  the 
Tree  is  known  by  the  Fruit ;  lb  God's  moral  Perfedions 
may  be  known  by  his  moral  Government  of  the  World. 
The  whole  World  was  created  for  a  Stage.,  on  which  a  va- 
riety of  Scenes  were  to  be  opened  ;  in  and  by  all  which, 
God  defigned  to  exhibit  a  m^oft  exad  Image  of  himfelf. 
For  as  God  loves  himfelf  infinitely,  for  being  what  he  is  ^ 
fo  he  takes  infinite  Delight,  in  ading  forth  and  exprefiing 
all  his  Heart.  He  loves  to  fee  his  Nature  &  Image  fhine 
in  all  his  Works,  and  to  behold  the  whole  World  filled 
with  his  Glory.  And  he  perfedly  loves  to  ha  e  all  his 
Condud  (the  whole  of  it  taken  together)  an  exa5t  Refem- 
blance  of  himfelf ;  and  infinitely  abhors  in  his  publick 
Condud,  in  the  leaft  to  counter-ad  the  Temper  of  his 
Heart  j  fo  as  by  his  publick  Condud,  to  feem  to  be,  what 

indeed 


and  dtjlingutjhed from  all  Counterfeits.  2 1 

indeed  he  is  not.  So  that,  in  his  moral  Government  of  the 
World  we  may  fee  his  inward  Difpofition,&  difcer  n  the  true 
nature  of  his  moral  Perfedions.  And  indeed  all  his  Per- 
fedions  are  herein  difcovered.         Particularly, 

(i.)  His  infinite  Under/landing.  High  on  his  Throne  in 
Heaven  he  fits,  and  all  his  vafl  Dominions  lie  open  to  his 
View.  His  All-feeing  Eye  views  all  his  Courts  above5and 
fees  under  the  whole  Heavens,  looks  thro  the  Earth,  and 
pierces  all  the  dark  Caverns  of  Hell.  So  that  his  Acquain- 
tance with  all  Worlds  and  all  Things  is  abfolutely  perfed 
and  compleat.  He  can  behold  all  the  folemn  Worlliip  of 
Heaven,  and  the  inmoll  Thoughts  of  all  that  great  Afiembly  j 
he  can  behold  all  the  Sin,  Mifery  and  Confufion  that  over- 
spread the  whole  Earth,  and  the  inmoft  Temper  of  every 
Mortal  •,  and  look  thro  Hell  and  fee  all  the  Rebellion  and 
Blafphemy  and  cunning  Devices  of  thofe  infernal  Fiends* : 
And  all  this  at  one  All-Comprehending  View.  And  thus, 
as  high  Governour  of  the  whole  World,  he  continually  be- 
holds all  Things  •,  whereby  a  Foundation  is  laid,  for  the 
Exercife  of  all  his  other  Perfedions  in  his  Government  over 
all.  See  the  Omnifcience  of  God  elegantly  defcribed  ia 
Pfal.  139.  I, — 12.  And  being  perfedly  acquainted  y/ith 
himfelf,  as  well  as  with  all  his  Creatures  ;  hence,  he  can- 
not  but  fee  what  a  Condud  from  him  towards  them,  will, 
all  Things  confidered,  be  moft  right  and  fit  ^d  amiable^ 
and  mofi:  becoming,  fuch  an  One,  as  he  is  -,  and  alfo,  what 
a  Condud  from  them  to  him,  is  his  Due  ;  and  their  Duty. 
By  his  infinite  Underftanding  he  is  perfedly  acquainted 
with  Right  and  Wrong,  with  what  is  fit  and  v/hat  unfit : 
And  by  the  moral  Reditude  of  his  Nature,  he  infinitely 
loves  the  one  and  hates  the  other,  and  is  difpofed  to  condud 
accordingly  ^  of  which  more  prefently.  Pfal.  147.  i.  Praife 
ye  the  Lor d^  for  it  is  good  to  ftng  Praifes  unto  our  God  \  for  it 
ispkafant^  and  Praife  is  comely, —  But  why  ?  —  f  ^.  Great 
is  our  Lord  and  of  great  Power ^  his  Understanding  is 
INFINITE. —  But  wherein  does  that  appear  ^  — Why,  /.  4. 
He  telleth  the  Number  of  the  Stars :  He  calleth  them  ALL  by 
their  Names,  Now  if  the  infinite  Underftanding  of  God 
may  be  feen  in  this  one  Particular  -,  much  jnor^,  in  the  re- 
gulv  ordering  and  difpofing  of  all  Things,  throughout  tht 


2  2  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  1. 

whole  Uriivcrfe  :  And  that,   not  only  in  the  natural^  but 
alfo,  in  the  moral  World. 

(2.)  His  iyifinite  Power,  is  diplaycd  in  the  Government 
of  the  World.  For  he  does  according  to  his  Pleafure  in 
the  Armies  of  Heaven,  and  among  the  Inhabitants  of  the 
Earth  :  fo  that  none  can  flay  his  Hand,  or  hinder  the  Ex- 
ecution of  his  Defigns. — Have  Rebellions  broke  out  in  any 
Part  of  his  Dominions  ?  He  has  manifeftly  had  the  Re- 
bels intirely  in  his  Hands  ;  they  have  lain  abfoiutely  at  his 
Mercy  ;  and  he  has  dealt  with  them  according  to  his  fove- 
reign  Pleafure  ;  and  none  has  been  able  to  make  any  Re- 
fiilance  -,  nor  has  there  been  any  to  deliver  them  out 
of  his  Hands.  —  When  Rebellion  broke  out  in  Heaven, 
he  crufn'd  the  Rebels  in  a  Moment :  They  fell  beneath  the 
Weight  of  his  Hand  ;  they  felt  his  Power,  they  defpaired, 
they  funk  to  Hell.  And  there  he  referves  them  in  Chains, 
nor  can  they  ftir  from  their  dark  Abode,  but  by  his  fpecial 
Permiffion. — And  when  Rebellion  broke  out  upon  Earth, 
the  Rebels  were  equally  in  his  Hands,  and  at  his  Mercy  : 
unable  to  make  any  Refiftance  :  altho'  he  was  pleafed,  in 
his  infinite  Wifdom,  to  take  another  Method  with  them. 
But  he  has  fince  difcovcred  his  Power,  in  treading  down  his 
implacable  Enemies,  under  Foot,  many  a  time.  He  de- 
ftroyed  the  old  World,  burned  Sodom^  drowned  Pharaoh 
and  his  Hofrs,  and  turned  Nebuchadnezzar  into  a  Beaft. 
If  his  Enemies  have  exalted  themfelves,  yet  he  has  been 
above  them,  brought  them  down  •,  and  difcovered  to  all 
theWorld,that  they  are  in  his  Hands,  and  withoutStrength, 
at  his  Difpofal.  Or  if  he  has  fuffered  them  to  go  on  and 
profper,  and  exalt  themfelves  greatly,  yet  ilill  he  has  been 
above  them,  and  has  accomplifhed  his  Defigns  by  them, 
and  at  iafl  has  brought  them  down.  Haughty  Nebuchad- 
nezzar when  he  had  broken  the  Nations  to  Pieces,  as  it  he 
had  been  the  Hammer  of  the  whole  Earth,  now  tho't  him- 
i<.'S  fome-hody.  And  Alexander  the  Great,  when  conquer- 
ing the  World,  afpired  to  be  thought  the  Son  of  Jupiter. 
But  the  moft  high  God,  the  Great  and  Almighty  Gover-* 
nour  of  the  World,  always  had  fuch  Scourges  of  Mankind 
only  as  a  Rod  in  his  Hand,  with  which  he  has  executed 
Judgment  upon  a  wicked  V/orld.     Howbeit  they  meant  not 

fo 


and  dtjlingtitjhed from  all  Counterfeits,   2  3 

foy  neither  did  their  Hearts  think  fo.  But  it  was  in  their 
Hearts  to  gratify  their  Ambition,  Avarice  and  Revenge. 
However,  he  was  above  them  •,  and  alway-s  fuch  have  been 
in  his  Hands  as  the  Ax  is  in  the  Hands  of  him  that  heweth 
therewith^  or  as  the  Saw  is  in  the  Hands  cf  him  that  Jhaketh 
it  J  or  as  the  Rod  is  in  the  Hand  of  him  that  lifteth  it  up. 
And  when  he  has  done  with  the  Rod,  he  always  breaks  it 
and  burns  it.     See  Ifai.  10.  5 — 19. 

And  as  this  great  King  has  difcovered  his  Almighty 
Power  by  crufhing  RebeUions  in  his  Kingdom,  and  fubdu- 
ing  Rebels  •,  fo  he  has  alfo,  in  proteding  his  Friends,  and 
working  Deliverance  for  his  People.  He  made  a  Path  for 
his  People  thro  the  Sea  j  he  led  them  thro'  the  Wilder- 
nefs.  He  gave  them  Water  to  drink  out  of  the  Rock  •,  and 
fed  them  with  Angels  Food.  In  the  Day  time  he  led  them 
by  a  Cloud  j  and  all  the  Night  with  the  Light  of  Fire. 
He  brought  them  to  the  promifed  Land,  and  drove  out 
the  Heathen  before  them  :  and  in  all  their  Diftrefles,  when- 
ever they  cried  unto  him,  he  delivered  them.  And  as  the 
fupreme  Governour  of  the  World,  did  thus  in  the  Days  of 
old  difcover  his  Almighty  Power  in  governing  among  his 
intelligent  Creatures  ^  fo  he  is  ftill  in  various  Ways  and 
Manners,  in  his  Providential  Difpenfatlons,  evidently  dif- 
covering  that  he  can  do  all  Things.  And  his  People  fes 
it,  and  believe  it  •,  and  admire,  &adore.     Read  Pfal.io^. 

(3.)  Again,  His  infinite  JVifdom^  is  difcovered  in  an  end- 
lefs  Variety  of  Inftances,  in  all  his  Government  throughout 
all  his  Dominions  -,  in  his  managing  all  Things  to  the 
Glory  of  his  Majefty,  to  the  Good  of  his  loyal  Subjects, 
and  to  the  Confufion  of  his  Foes.  There  has  never  any 
Thing  happened  in  all  his  Dominions,  and  never  will  j  but 
has  been  and  fhall  be,  made  entirely  fubfervient  to  his 
Honour  and  Glory.  Even  the  Contempt  call  upon  him 
by  his  rebellious  Subjeds,  he  turns  to  his  greater  Glory. 
As  in  the  Cafe  of  Pharaoh^who  fet  up  himfelf  againft  God, 
and  faid,  fFho  is  the  Lord  that  Ifhouldobey  him  ?  I  know  not 
theLordy  nor  will  I  let  Ifrael  go.  And  he  exalted  himfelf  and 
dealt  proudly  &  haughtily  •,  and  hardened  his  Heart,  and 
was  refolve4  he  would  not  regard  God,  nor  be  bowed  nor 
<jpi>quered  by  him  ;  for  he  defpifed  him  in  bis  Heart.   But 

C  4  %m 


24  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  more  he  carried  himfelf,  as  if  there  were  no  God  -,  the 
more  were  the  Being  &  Perfeftions  of  God  made  manifeft. 
For  the  more  h:  hardened  his  Heart,  the  more  ftout  and 
flubboi-n  he  was,  the  more  God  honoured  himfelf  m  fub- 
duing  him.  Yea,  God  in  his  infinite  Wifdom  fuffered  him 
{o  be  as  high  and  haughty,  as  ftout  and  ftubborn  as  he 
pleafed  •,  he  took  off  all  Reftraints  from  him,  permitted 
the  Magicians  to  imitate  the  Miracles  diMofes^  fo  that  Fha^ 
roah  in  feeing  might  not  fee,  nor  be  convinced  :  and  he 
ordered  that  the  Plagues  Ihould  lad  but  for  a  fhort  Sea- 
fon,  that  Pharoah  might  have  Refpite  ^  and  thus  it  was 
that  God  hardned  his  Heart.  And  God  in  his  infinite 
Wifdom  did  ail  this  with  a  View  to  his  own  Glory.  As 
he  tells  Pharoah  by.  the  Hand  of  Mofes.  —  "  Such  and 
fuch  Plagues  I  defign  to  bring  upon  you,  and  to  do  fo,  and 
fo,  with  you."  And  indeed  for  this  Caufe  have  I  raifed  thee 
up ^  for  tofJjsw  in  thee ^  my  Poisjer^  and  that  my  Name  may  be 
declared^  throiighcut  all  the  Earthy  Exod.  9.  16.  And  ac- 
cordingly God  was  illuflriouQy  honoured  at  lad  upon  Pha-^ 
roah^  and  upon  all  his  Hoft,  at  the  Red-fea.  And  the 
Egyptians^  and  all  the  neighbouring  Nations,  were  made 
to  know  that  he  was  the  Lord  :  and  his  Name  became 
dreadful  among  the  Heathen.  And  we  find  that  in  three 
or  four  Hundred  Years  after,  the  Philijlines  had  not  for^ 
gotten  it.  For  v/hen  the  Ark  in  the  Days  oiEli,  was  car^ 
hed  into  the  Camp  of  Ifrael  *,  tht  Philijlines  were  fore  afraid  ;. 
and  faid,  "  God  is  come  into  the  Camp  ;  Wo  unto  us. 
"  Who  fnall  deliver  us  out  of  the  Hands  of  thefe  mighty 
"  Gods  ?  Thefe  are  the  Gods  that  fmote  the  Egyptians^ 
"  with  all  the  Plagues  in  the  Wildernefs  &c."   j  Sam.  4. 

So  God  wifely  ordered  and  over-ruled  all  Things,  that 
befell  the  Children  of  Ifrael  in  the  Wildernefs,  to  accom- 
plilh  the  Ends  he  had  in  View.  His  Defigns  were  to  get 
himfeif  a  great  Name,  and  fill  the  whole  Earth  with  hi$ 
Glory  {Num.  14.  21.)  and  to  try  and  humble  his  People, 
and  make  them  know,  that  it  was  not  for  their  Righteouf- 
ncfs,that  he  brought  them  into  theLand  oi Canaan  {Deut.oi.) 
And  every  Thing  that  came  to  pafs,  for  thofe  forty  Years, 
was  admirably  calculated  to  attain  thefe  Ends.  The  News 
of  Pharaoh's  Overthrow,  of  God's  coming  down  upon 

Mount 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  25 

Mount  Simiy  and  abiding  there  for  fo  long  a  Time,  with 
fuch  awful  Majefty  •,  and  of  the  Pillar  of  Cloud  by  Day, 
and  of  Fire  by  Night  ;  of  the  Mama,  of  the  Water  flow- 
ing  out  of  a  Rock  and  following  them,  of  their  Murmur- 
ings  and  Infurredlions,  and  God's  Judgments  upon  them ; 
I  fay,  the  News  of  thefe,  and  of  other  Things  of  this  Na- 
ture, that  happened  to  them  for  thofe  forty  Years,  flew  all 
the  World  over,  and  filled  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth 
with  the  greateft  Afl:onilhment  •,  and  made  them  think 
there  was  no  God,  like  the  Godcflfrael.  {Nurah.  1 4. 1 3, 14, 1 5.) 
By  all  thefe  Things  \  and  by  God's  bringing  his  People  at 
lafl:  to  the  PoflTefilon  of  the  Land  of  Canaan,  according  to 
his  Promife  •,  there  was  exhibited  a  Specimen  of  God's 
infinite  Knowledge,  Power,  Wifdom,  Holinefs,  Juftice, 
Goodnefs  &  Truth  :  and  that  before  the  Eyes  of  all  the 
Nations.  And  fo  the  whole  Earth  was  filled  with  his 
Glory  :  i.  e.  v/ith  the  clear  Manifefliations  of  thofe  Per- 
fe6t:ions  in  which  his  Glory  confifl:s.     And  thus  his  great 

End  was  obtained. And   in   the  mean  time,   all  the 

Wandrings,  and  Trials,  and  Sins  and  Sorrows  of  the  Chil- 
dren of  Ifrael,  together  with  all  the  wonderful  Works 
which  their  Eyes  beheld,  and  wherein  God  difcovered 
himfelf,  for  thofe  forty  Years  ;  had  a  natural  Tendency  to 
try  them,  to  humble  them,  and  break  their  Hearts,  and 
make  them  know,  that  not  for  their  Righteoufnefs,  nor 
for  the  Uprightnefs  of  their  Hearts,  did  God  at  lafl:  fliew 
them  that  great  Mercy :  and  to  convince  them  of  the  ex- 
ceeding great  Obligations  they  were  under  to  love^and  fear, 
and  ferve  the  Lord  for  ever.  And  fo  the  other  great  End 
which  God  had  in  View  was  accompliflied.  Deut,  8,  65?  9, 

and  10.  Cha'p, And  now,  all  thefe  Things  were  by  God 

wifely  done  •,  and  in  this  his  Condudl,  his  infinite  Wifdom  is 

to  be  feen.* And  thus  it  is  in  all  God's  Difpenfations, 

thro* 

*  If  God  had  {o  ordered,  that  Ahraham  had  been  born  in  the  Land  of 
Canaan^  and  his  Pofterity  bad  multiplied  greatly,and  the  other  Nations 
gradually  by  SicknefTes  and  Wars  had  wafted  away  and  come  to  no- 
thing, until  there  were  none  but  the  Pofterity  of  Abraham  left,  and 
they  had  filled  the  Land  ;  God's  Hand  then  would  not  have  been 
fcen  :  none  of  thefe  excellent  Ends  attained  :  all  would  have  been 

rcfolvcd 


26  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

thro'out  all  his  Dominions,  with  Regard  to  the  whole 
Univerfe  in  general,  and  to  every  intelligent  Creature  in 
partictilar.  His  Works  are  all  done  in  Wifdom  \  and  fo 
his  infinite  Wifdom  is  difcovered  in  all.  And  hence  God 
appears  infinitely  glorious  in  the  Eyes  of  his  People.  Deut. 
32.3,4  Tfal.  104.24.(5^  105.  I 45.  iCor.1.24. — 31. 

(4.)  Again,  His  infinite  Purity  and  Holincfs^  is  alfo  dif- 
tovered  in  his  Government  of  the  World  :  in  all  that  he 
has  done,  to  eftablifh  Rights  and  difcountenance  Wrongs 
thro'out  all  his  Dominions.  His  creating  Angels  &  Men 
in  his  own  Image,  with  his  Law  written  on  their  Hearts, 
manifefted  his  Difpofition,  and  fhewed  what  hewaspleafed 
^ith  :  But  his  publick  Condudt  as  moral  Governour  of  the 
World,  has  more  evidently  difcovered,  the  very  Temper 
of  his  Heart  ;  and  fhewn  how  he  loves  Right  and  hates 
Wron^^  to  an  infinite  Degree.  Governours  among  Men 
difcover  much  of  their  Difpofition,and  fhcw  what  they  love 
and  what  they  hate,  by  their  Laws  :  and  they  fhew  how 
fervent  their  Love  &  Hatred  is,  by  all  the  Methods  they 
take  to  enforce  them  :  And  fo  does  the  great  Governour 
of  the  World.  By  his  Laws,  by  his  Promifes  &  Threat- 
nings  j  by  his  paft  Condud,  and  declared  Defigns  for  the 
future,  he  manifefts  how  he  loves  moral  Good  and  hates 
moral  Evil. 

By  his  infinite  Underftanding,  he  is  perfeftly  acquainted 
with  Himfelf,  and  with  all  his  intelligent  Creatures  :  and 
fo  perfe6tly  knows  what  a  Condud  in  him  towards  them 
is  right,  fit  &  beautiful,  and  fuch  as  becomes  fuch  a  One 
as  he  is.  And  alfo,  perfectly  knows  what  a  Condudl  in  his 
Creatures  towards  him,  and  towards  each  other,  is  fit  and 
amiable,  and  fo  their  Duty.     He  fees  what  is  right,  and 

infinitely 

refolved  into  natural  Caufes.- —  Therefore  God  contrived  where^^^r^- 
bam  fhould  be  born  ;  how  he  fhould  leave  hrs  own  Country  ;  have  a 
Promife  of  the  Land  of  Canaan  ;  and  how  his  Seed  fhould  come  to 
be  in  Egypty  come  to  be  in  great  Bondage  and  Diftrefs  j  how  he 
would  fend,  and  how  he  would  deliver  them,  and  how  they  fhould 
carry  themfelvcs,  and  what  fhould  happen  ;  and  how  every  Thing 
fhoiUd  turn  out  at  lafl :  He  laid  the  whole  Plan,  with  a  View  to  thofc 
excellent  Ends  his  Eye  was  upon.  It  was  wifely  contrived  :  and 
when  it  came  to  be  afted  over,  his  infinite  Wifdom  was  difcovered. 


and  dijiinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   2  7 

infinitely  loves  it,  becaufe  it  is  right.  He  fees  what  is 
wrong,  and  infinitely  hates  it,  becaufe  it  is  wrong.  And 
in  his  whole  Conduct  as  Governour  of  the  World,  he  ap- 
pears to  be  juft  what  he  is  at  Heart  •,  an  infinite  Friend  to 
Right,  and  an  infinite  Enemy  to  Wrong. 

He  takes  State^  fets  up  Himfelf  as  a  GOD,  bids  all  the 
World  adore  him,  love  and  obey  him,  with  all  their  Hearts  •, 
and  that  upon  Pain  of  eternal  Damnation,  in  Cafe  of  the 
leafl  Defed  :  and  promifes  eternal  Life  and  Glory,  in  Cafe 
of  perfedt  Obedience.  This  is  the  Language  of  his  Law, 
Thou  /halt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  Hearty  and  thy 
Neighbour  as  thy  felf.  Do  this  and  live.  Difobey  and  die. — 
And  now  all  that  infinite  Efteem  for  himfelf,  and  infinite 
Regard  for  his  own  Honour,  which  he  herein  does  mani- 
feft,  does  not  refult  from  a  proud  or  a  felfifh  Spirit  :  for 
there  is  no  fuchThing  in  his  Nature.  Nor  does  he  threaten 
Damnation  for  Sin,becaufe  it  hurts  him  -,  or  promife  eternal 
Life  to  Obedience,  becaufe  it  does  him  any  good  :  For  he  is 
infinitely  above  us,  and  abfolutely  independent 'on  us,  and 
cannot  receive Advantage,orDifadvantage  from  us.  Job  22. 
2,3.  and  3S'^^7'  -^^^  ^^  refults  from  the  infinite  Holinefs  of  his 
Nature. —  He  loves  and  honours  himfelf  as  he  does  j  be- 
caufe, fince  he  is  what  he  is,  it  is  right  and  fit  he  fhould. 
He  bids  the  World  adore,  love  &  obey  him  with  all  their 
Hearts,  becaufe  confidering  what  he  is,  and  what  they  be, 
it  is  infinitely  fit  and  right.  He  commands  us  to  love  our 
Neighbour  as  our  felves,  becaufe  this  alfo  in  the  Nature  of 
Things  is  right.  And  while  he  promifes  eternal  Life  to 
the  obedient,  and  threatens  eternal  Damnation  to  the  dif- 
obedient,  he  Ihews  how  infinitely  he  loves  Righteoufnefs, 
and  hates  Iniquity.  His  promifing  eternal  Life  and  Glory 
to  perfed;  Obedience,  does  indeed  manifeft  the  infinite 
Goodnefs  &  Bountifulnefs  of  his  N  ature  :  but  then  his  pro- 
mifing all  under  the  Notion  of  a  Reward.,  difcovers  this 
Temper  of  his  Heart,  his  infinite  love  to  Right. 

As  to  all  his  pofitive  Injundions,  they  are  evidently  dc^ 
figned  to  promote  a  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law.  And 
as  to  the  moral  Law,  it  is  originally  founded  upon  the  very 
Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things.  TheDuties  required  there- 
in, are  required  originally  becayfc  they  are  right  in  them- 

ielves* 


2  8  True  Religion  deli7:eated       Dis.  L 

felves.  And  the  Sins  forbidden,  are  forbidden  originally, 
becaufe  they  are  unfit  and  wrong  in  themfelves.  The  in- 
trinfick  fitnefs  of  the  Thing-  required,  and  the  intrinfick 
unfitnefs  of  the  Things  forbidden,  was  the  original  Ground, 
Reafon  &  Foundation  of  his  Law.  Thus  he  bids  all  the 
World  love  him  "v^ith  all  their  Hearts  •,  becaufe  he  is  the 
Lord  their  God  :  and  love  one  another  as  Brethren,becaufc 
they  are  all  Children  of  the  fame  common  Father,  having 
the  fame  Nature.  He  requires  this  fupreme  Love  to  him- 
felf,  and  this  mutual  Love  among  his  Subjedls,  becaufe  it 
is  right  that  fo  it  fhould  be  •,  and  becaufe  he  perfeftly  loves 
that  the  Thing  that  is  right  fhould  be  done  ;  and  not  from 
any  Advantage  that  can  poflibly  accrue  unto  him  from  the 
Behaviour  of  his  Creatures.  And  he  forbids  the  contrary, 
becaufe  it  is  wrong,  and  therefore  infinitely  hateful  in  his 
Sight,  &  not  becaufe  it  could  beanyDifadvantage  to  him. — 
All  the  Glory  &  BlefTednefs  which  he  beftows  upon  theAn- 
gels  in  Heaven  under  the  Notion  of  a  Reward  to  their  0- 
bedience^  is  not  becaufe  their  Obedience  does  him  any  Good  -, 
for  it  does  not  :  nor  becaufe  they  deferve  any  Thing  from 
his  Hands  •,  for  they  do  not  :  {Rom.Ji.2§,^6.)  but  merely 
becaufe  it  is  right,  that  they  ihould  in  all  Things  obey 
him.  This  is  what  he  loves,  and  what  he  delights  to  ho- 
nour. And  all  the  infinite,  eternal  Glories  of  Heaven  can 
but  jufl  ferve  as  a  fuflicientTeftimony  of  his  Approbation.— 
So  on  the  other  Hand,  it  was  not  in  a  PafTion,  or  from 
fuddden  ralh  Revenge,  (which  many  Times  influences  fin- 
ful  Men  to  cruel  &  barbarous  Deeds,)  that  he  turned  thofe 
that  finned  down  into  Hell  j  and  for  their  iiift  Offence 
doomed  them  to  everlafling  Wo,  without  the  leaflHope. 
For  there  is  no  fuch  Thing  in  his  Nature.  As  he  is  not 
capable  of  being  injured  as  we  be,  fo  neither  is  he  capable 
of  fuch  Anger  as  we  feel.  No  :  the  Thing  they  did,  was 
in  itfelf  infinitely  wrong,  and  that  was  the  true  &  only 
Caufe  of  his  infinite  Difpleafure  •,  which  infinite  Difplea- 
fur€,  he  meant  to  declare  and  make  known,  in  the  Sight 
of  all  Worlds,  throughout  the  endlefs  Ages  of  Eternity, 
by  rend'ring  to  them  according  to  their  Deferts.  For  he 
loves  to  appear  as  great  an  Enemy  to  Sin,  in  his  Conduct, 
^s  he  is  in  his  Heart,     He  loves  to  a6l  out  his  Heart,  and 

exhibit 


and  difiingutped  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.  2  9 

exhibit  a  true  Image  of  himfelf.  —  His  infinite  Love  to 
Righteoufnefs  and  hatred  of  Iniquity,  is  alfo  difplayed  in 
his  promifing  eternal  Life  &  Bleffednefs  to  Adam  and  to  all 
his  Racci  a  whole  World  of  Beings,  as  a  Reward  to  the 
Obedience  of  Adam  •,  by  him  conilituted  publick  Head 
and  Reprefentative  ^  on  the  one  Hand  :"  and  threatning 
eternal  Deftrudion  to  him  and  all  his  Race,  a  whole  World 
of  Beings,  in  Cafe  of  the  leail  Tranfgreflion  ;  on  the  other 
Hand. — But  his  infinite  love  to  Righteoufnefs,  and  hatred 
of  Iniquity,  is  manifefted  in  the  greateft  Perfedion,  in  the 
Death  of  Jefus  Chrift,  his  only  begotten  Son. — But  of  this 
more  afterwards. — In  a  Word,  all  theBleffings  which  he 
has  granted  to  the  godly  in  this  World  \  as  Rewards  of 
their  Vertue  ^  to  Ahel^  Enochs  ?ind^Noab  \  to  Lot^  to  Abra- 
ham^  Ifaac  and  Jacob  &c  :  and  all  the  Judgments  which 
he  has  executed  upon  the  Wicked,  his  turning  Adam  out 
of  Paradife,  drowning  the  old  World,  burning  Sodom^  &c. 
together  with  all  the  Evils  which  befell  the  Children  of 
Ifrael^  in  the  Wildernefs,  in  the  Time  of  the  Judges,in  the 
Reigns  of  their  Kings  ^  and  their  long  Captivity  in  Baby- 
lon &c.  have  all  been  publick  ^ejtimonies  that  the  righteous 

Lord  loveth  Righteoufnefs,  and  hateth  Iniquity. And 

in  Heaven  and  in  Hell,  he  defigns  to  difplay  to  all  Eter- 
nity, in  the  moft  glorious  and  dreadful  Manner,  how  infi- 
nitely he  loves  Righteoufnefs  and  hates  Iniquity. 

Now  when  true  Believers,  who  are  divinely  enlightned, 
meditate  on  and  view  the  Laws,  the  Condudl,  and  the  de- 
clared Defigns,  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  ; 
they  love,  admire  and  adore  -,  and  fay.  Holy,  holy,  holy. 
Lord  God  of  Hoils,  the  whole  World  is  full  of  thy  Glory. 
This  divine  Difpofition,  to  love  Righteoufnefs  and  hate 
Iniquity,  which  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  thus 
difcovers  in  all  his  Government,  appears  infinitely  beauti- 
ful and  glorious,  excellent  and  amiable,  in  their  Eyes  : 
Whence  they  are  ready  to  hy^lVho  is  like  unto  thee^  0  Lordy 
among  the  Gods  ?  Who  is  like  unto  thee  F  Glorious  in  Holinefs, 
As  they  in  Exod,  15.  11.  "^  (5.)  His 

*  If  we  fhould  fuppofe  (as  fomc  do)  that'there  is  nothing  right  or  n.vrong 

*  antecedent  to  a  Confideration  of  the  po/itiw  Will  and  Z^w  of  God, 
the  great  Governour  of  the  World  \  And  that  Right  ^lA  Wrong  refult 

originally 


30  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

f5.)  His  impartial  Juftice^  is  alfo  difcovered  in  his  moral 
Government  of  the  World.  He  appears  in  his  publick 
Condudt,  as  One  infinitely  engaged  to  give  to  ev  ry  one 
their  Due  :  and  as  One  ablbluteiy  governed  by  a  Spirit  of 
the  moft  perfediy  difintereficd  Impartiality. — He  appears 
as  One  infinitely  engaged  to  maintain  the  Rights  at  the 
God-head,  and  to  fecure  that  Glory  to  the  divine  Being  that 
is  his  proper  Due  •,  and  that  by  the  Law  which  he  has 
eftablilhed,  in  Heaven  and  on  Earth,  binding  all  to  love, 
worfnip  and  obey  him,  as  GOD,  upon  Pain  of  eternal 
Damnation.     And  fo  again,  he  appears  as  One  infinitely 

ensased 


•o~o" 


originally  from  his  fonjereign   Will  and   ahfolute   Authority   entirely  ; 
then  thefe  manifeft  Abfiirditie«^  would  unavoidably  follow, 

1 .  That  the  moral  FerfeBions  of  God  are  ernpty  Names,  ivithout  any 
Signijication  at  all.  For  if  there  be  no  intrinfick  moral  fitnefs  and  un- 
£tnefs  in  Things,no  Right  nor  Wrong,  then  there  is  no  fuch  Thing  as 
moral  Beauty  or  moral  Deformity  ;  and  fo  no  Foundation  in  the  Na- 
ture of  Things  for  any  moral  Propenftty  ;  i.  e.  there  is  nothing  for 
God  to  love  or  hate,  confidered  as  a  moral  Agent.  There  can  be 
no  Inclination  or  Difpofition  in  him  to  love  Right  and  hate  Wrong, 
if  there  be  no  fuch  Thing  as  Right  or  Wrong.  So  that  the  only  Idea 
we  could  frame  of  God,  would  be  that  of  an  Almighty  defpotic  So- 
vereign, who  makes  his  own  Will  his  only  Rule,  without  any  Re- 
gard to  right  or  wrong,  good  or  evil,  jufl  orunjuft.  An  Idea  of  the 
infinitely  glorious  and  ever-bleiled  God,  evidently  as  contrary  ta 
Truth,  as  can  be  devifed. 

2 .  T^hat  in  the  Nature  of  Things  there  is  no  more  Reafon  to  lot'e  and 
ohey  Gody  than  there  is  to  hate  cjjd  difobey  him  :  There  being  in  the 
Nature  of  Things  no  right  nor  wrong.  Juft  as  if  God  was  not  infi- 
ritely  worthy  of  our  higheft  Efteem  and  moft  perfeft  Obedience  .' 
And  juft  as  if  in  the  Nature  of  Things  there  was  no  Reafon  why  we 
Ihould  love  and  obey  Him,  but  merely  becaufe  he  is  the  greateft 
and  ftrongeft,  and  fays  we  muf  !  Than  which  nothing  can  be  more 
evidently  abfurd.     But  if  thefe  Things  be  fo,  then  it  will  follow, 

3.  That  there  is  no  Reafon  <^vhy  he  Jhould  require  his  Creatures  to  lo^e 
and  obey  him,  or  forbid  the  contrary  :  or  ivhy  he  fhould  re^ward  the  one, 
cr  punijh  the  other  :  There  being  in  the  Nature  of  Things  no  Right 
nor  Wrong.  And  fo  the  Foundation  of  God's  Law  and  Government 
is  overturned,  and  all  Religion  torn  up  by  the  Roots.  And  nothing 
IS  left  but  arbitrary  Tyranny  and  fervile  Subjedlion.  All  exprefly 
contrary  to  G^«.  18.  25.  Heh.  i.  9.  Eph.  6.  i.  Rom.  12.  i.  Re<v. 
4.   II.  Rom.  7.   12.  Rom.  2.  4,  5,6.  Re^.  19.   I — 6.  Ez.ck.  18.25. 

Or  again,  if  we  fhould  fuppofe  (as  others  do)  that  there  is  no- 
thing right  or  ^':rong,  antecedent  to  a  Confideration  of  the  general 
Good  of  the  whole  Syftem  of  intelligent  created  Beings ;   And  that 

Right 


and  dijltnguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    3 1 

engaged  to  fecnre  all  his  Suhjeds  here  upon  Earth  in  a 
quiet  and  peaceable  Poflefrion  every  one  ot  their  own  pro- 
per Rights.  And  that  by  ftriclly  enjoining  every  one  to 
love  his  Neighbour  as  himfelf,  and  always  do  as  he  would 
be  done  by,  and  that  upon  Pain  of  eternal  Damnation. 
(Gal. ^.10,  Deut.  27.  26.)  —  And  he  appears  as  One  go* 
verned  by  a  Spirit  of  the  moil  perfe6lly  difinterefted  Im- 
partiality, in  that  he  fpared  not  the  Angels  that  finned, 

who 

Right  and  Wrong  refult  originally  and  entirely  from  the  natural  Ten- 
dency of  Things  to  promote,  or  hinder  the  general  Good  of  the 
whole  :  Then  alfothefe  manifeft  Abfurdities  will  unavoidably  follow, 

1.  That  the  moral?  erf edions  of  God  entirely  confift  in^  or  refult  from  a 
►     Difpofition  to  lo've  his  Creatures  fupremely,    and  feek  their  Hajpinefs    as 

his  only  End.  Juft  as  if  it  became  the  mod  High,  to  make  a  God  of 
hjs  Creatures  ;  and  Himfelf  their  Servant!  Exprefly  contrary  to  Rom, 
II.    36.   Numb.    14.  Ren;.  4.    II. 

2.  That  God  lo^^es  Vertue  and  renvards  it,  merely  becaufe  it  tends  to 
make  his  Creatures  happy  :  and  hates  Vice  and  pifnif^es  it,  merdy  becaufe 
it  tends  to  make  his  Creatures  miferahle.  Juft  as  if  he  had  no  Regard 
to  the  Rights  of  the  God-head,  nor  cared  how  much  Contempt  was 
caft  upon  the  glorious  Majefty  of  Heaven  !  Exprefiy  contrary  to 
Exod.  32.  Numb.  14.  1  ^am.  2.  29,  30.  2  Sam,  12.  10,  14.  Pfal, 
51.  4. 

3.  That  he  requires  us  to  love  and  obey  him,  merely  becaufe  it  tends  to 
make  us  happy,  and  forbids  the  contrary  merely  becaife  it  tends  to  make 
us  miferable.  Juft  as  if  he  had  no  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Glory  and  Ex- 
cellency of  his  Nature,  and  our  infinite  Obligations  to  love  and  obey 
him  thence  arifmg  f  And  juft  as  if  he  thought  it  no  Crime  inus,to  treat 
him  with  the  greateft  Contempt  !  And  juft  as  if  nothing  could  raife 
his  Refentment  but  merely  the  Injury  done  to  our  felves  !  Exprefly 
contrary  to  iVi^z^^.  14.  2  Sam.  12.   10,  14.  &c. 

4.  That  <voe  are  under  no  Obligations  to  lo<ve  God,  but  merely  bcaufe  it 
tends  to  make  us  happy  ;  and  that  it  is  noCrime  to  hate,and  blafpheme  God, 
but  merely  becaufe  it  tends  to  make  us  miferable.  But  if  fo,  then  the 
Mifery  which  naturally  refults  from  hating  and  blafpheming  God,  is 
exaftly  equal  to  the  Crime  :  And  therefore  no  pofitive  infli£led  Pu- 
hifhment  is  deferved  in  this  World,  or  in  that  which  is  to  come. 
And  therefore  all  the  Punifhments,  which  God  does  infli£l  upon  Sin- 
ners in  this  World,  and  for  ever  in  Hell,  are  intirely  undeferved. 
And  fo  his  Law  and  Government,  inftead  of  being  holy  juft  and  good, 
are  infinitely  unreafonable,  tyrannical  and  cruel.  —  To  fay,  that 
God  punifhes  fome  of  his  finful  Creatures,  merely  to  keep  others  ini 
Awe,  whenas  they  do  not  in  the  leaft  deferve  any  Punilhment,  is  to 
fuppofe  the  great  Govemour  of  the  World  to  do  Evil  that  Good 

.     may  come,  and  yet  at  the  fame  Time  to  take  the  moft  direfl  Courfe 
to  render  himfelf  odious  throughout  all  his  Dominions.     It  is  impofli- 

ble 


32  True  Religicft   delt7ieated       Dis.  I. 

who  were  fome  of  the  nobleft  of  all  his  Creatures :  and  in 
that  he  is  determined  not  to  fpare  impenitent  Sinners  at  the 
Day  of  Judgment,  tho*  they  cry  ever  fo  earneftly  for 
Mercy  :  But  above  all,  in  that  he  fpared  not  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  when  he  fliood  in  the  Room  of  Smners. —  If 
ever  any  poor  guilty  Wretch, round  theWorld,feels  tempt- 
ed to  think  that  God  is  cruel  for  damning  Sinners, and  does 
not  do  as  he  would  be  done  by,  if  he  was  in  their  Cafe, 
and  they  in  his  :  Let  him  come  away  to  the  Crofs  of 
Chrifl,and  fee  God's  ov/n  Son,his  fecond  Self,  there  nailed 
up,  naked,  bleeding,groaning,dying,  in  the  greatefl  poflible 
Contempt,Ignominy  &  Shame,betore  ten  Thoufand  infult- 
ing,  blood- thii-fty  Spedatcrs.  And  let  him  know  that  this 
Jefus  is  GOD  :  A  Perfon  of  infinitely  greater  Dignity ' 
andWorth,  than  all  Creatures  in  Heaven  &  Earth  put  to- 
gether ;  and  infiniiely  dear  to  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World,  even  juft  as  dear  as  his  own  Self,  and  upon  whom 
he  would  not  lay  thefe  Sufferings  any  fooner  than  upon 
himfelf :  I  fay,  let  him  (land  and  look  and  gaze,  and 
learn,  that  God  does  exactly  as  he  would  be  done  by, 
when  he  damns  Sinners  to  all  Eternity,  were  he  in  their 

Cafe, 

ble  to  account  for  the  Puniihinents  which  God  has  inflided  upon 
Sinners  in  this  World,  and  defigns  to  inflift  upon  them  for  ever  in 
Hell,  without  fuppofing  that  there  is  an  infinite  Evil  in  Sin,  over 
and  above  what  refults  from  its  natural  tendency  to  make  us  mi- 
ferable  :  and  that  therefore  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love 
and  obey  God  antecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  it's  tendency  to 
make  us  happy. 

From  all  which  it  is  evident  to  Demonftration,  that  Right  and 
Wrong,  do  neither  refult  from  the  mere  Will  and  Law  of  God,  nor 
from  any  tendency  of  Things  to  promote  or  hinder  the  Happinefs 
of  God's  Creatures.  It  remains  therefore,  that  there  is  an  intrinfic 
moral  Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs  abfolutely  in  Things  themfelves  :  As 
that  we  fhould  love  the  infinitely  glorious  God,  is  in  the  Nature  of 
Things  infinitely  fit  and  right ;  and  to  hate  and  blafpheme  him,  is 
in  the  Nature  of  Things  infinitely  unfit  and  wrong  :  And  that  an- 
tecedent to  any  Confideration  of  Advantage  or  Difadvantage,  Reward 
or  Punifhment,  or  even  of  the  Will  or  Law  of  God.  And  hence  it  is, 
that  God  infinitely  loves  Right  &  hates  Wrong, and  appears  fo  infinitely 
engaged  to  reward  the  one,  and  punifh  the  other.  And  hence  hit 
Law  and  Government  are  holy,  juft  and  good.  They  are  glorious ; 
and  in  and  by  them  the  infinite  Glory  of  the  divine  Nature  Ihine*  fo^:^,. 
Ifai,  6.  3.  /6a/.  4.  8.  Rgv.  19.    1—6. 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  3  3 

Cafe,  and  they  in  his  ( if  I  may  fo  fay,  when  fpeaking  of 
the  moft  high  God)    fince  that  for  his  own  Son,  a  Perfon 
of  infinite  Dignity,  to  fuffer  all  thefe   Things,  is   equi- 
valent to   the   eternal   Torments  of  finite   Creatures. — 
Indeed,     it  was    not  becaufe    he   was  not   a   Being  of 
infinite  Goodnefs,  that  he  treated  his  own  Son  fo  \  nor 
is  it  becaufe  he  has  no  Regard  to  his  Creatures  Happinefs, 
that  he  defigns  to  damn  the  finally  Impenitent :    but  it  is 
merely  becaufe   Sin  is  an  infinite  Evil,  and  according  to 
flri(5t  Juftice  worthy  of  an  infinite  Punilhment :  it  is  right 
and  fit  that  he  fhould  do  as  he  does,   and  therefore  his 
Condu6t  will  for  ever  appear  infinitely  glorious  and  beauti^ 
ful  in  the  Eyes  of  all  holy  Beings.    Pfal.  96.  11,  12.  13. 
Let  the  Heavens  rejoyce^  and  let  tJoe  Earth  he  glad  :  Let  the 
Sea  rore  and  thefulnefs  thereof.     Let  the  Field  he  joyful^  and 
all  that  is  therein  :  Then  Jhall  all  the  'Trees  of  the  Wood  re- 
Joyce.     Before  the  Lord  j  for  he  comeih^  for  he  cometh^  to 
judge  the  Earth  :    He  flmll  judge  the  World  ivith  Right ecuf- 
nefs^  and  the  People  with  his  Truth,      See  alfo  Rev.  jq. 

I,' 6. 

(6.)  His  infinite  Goodnefs^  is  alfo  difcovered  in  his  Go* 
vernment  of  the  World.     For  all  the  Laws  of  this  great 
and  good   Governour  are  fuited  in  their  own  Nature  to 
advance  all  his  Subjeds  to  the  higheil  Perfcdion  they  are 
capable  of.     His  Law  teaches  us  to  view  all  Things  jufl  as 
they  be,  and  to  have  our  Will  &  Affedlions  entirely  go- 
verned by  the  Truth,  by  the  very  Reafon  and  Nature  of 
Things.     And  fo  to  be  according  to  the  Meafure  of  fuch 
finite  Creatures,    in  our  Wills  and  in  the  Temper  of  our 
Minds,  after  the  Image  of  the  blefifed  and  glorious  God, 
which  is  the  highefl  Dignity  and  Perfedlion,  we  are  pofTi- 
bly  capable  of.     When  God  commands  us  to  be  holy  as 
he  is  holy,  he  enjoins  that  as  our  Duty,  which  at  the  feme 
Time  is  our  higheil  poflible  Priviledge.     He  bids  us  be 
like  the  Angels,  and  begin  our  Heaven  upon  Earth  •,  yea; 
even  to  participate  of  a  Glory  &  Blefiiednefs,  of  the  fi  me 
Nature  with  that,  which  he  himfelf  enjoys.    To  behold  his 
Glory,    to  be  ravifhed  w^ith  his  Beauty,  to    eileem   him 
fuprcmcly,live  to  him  entirely5&  delight  in  him  fuperlative- 
ly,and  to  become  like  him  in  ourViews  of  Things,&  in  the 

D  Temper 


34         7*rm  Religion  delineated         Dis.  L 

Temper  of  our  Minds,  is  our  highefl  Dignity,  Glory  and 

Excellency,  and  our  highefl  Bleffednefs. And  befides, 

his  Laws  are  ilill  further  calculated  to  promote  the  Wel- 
fare of  his  Subjedh,  in  that  they  are  fuited  to  eftablifh  a 
univerfal  Love,  Peace  &  Harmony,  throughout  all  his 
Dominions.  Love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  felf^  is  one  of  the 
fundamental  Laws  of  his  Kingdom.  And  were  his  Au- 
thority duly  regarded,  and  his  Laws  obeyed.  Love  and 
Peace  and  Harmony,  with  all  their  happy  and  blefled 
Effeds,  would  reign  thro  all  the  Earth,  as  they  do  in 
Heaven  :  And  Paradif^  would  not  be  confined  to  Eden^ 
nor  to  Heaven,  but  be  all  over  the  World. 

And  the  Wrath  of  this  good  Governour  is  only  revealed 
againft  all  Ungodlinefs  &  U  irightcoufnefs  of  Men,  which 
are  the  Ruin  and  Debafement  ot  our  Nature,  and  the  De- 
ftrudion  of  our  Peace  and  Happinefs.  He  threatens 
Damnation  to  his  Subjedts,  to  keep  them  from  deftroying 
themfelves,  as  well  as  to  deter  them  from  affronting  his 
Majefty.  All  the  dreadful  Threatnings  of  his  Law  refult 
not  only  from  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  but  alfo  even  from 
the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature  :  in  that  hereby  his 
Subjedls  are  mercifully  fore-warned  of  the  evil  and  bitter 

Confequences  of  Sin,   to  the  End  they  may  avoid  it. 

He  is  a  perfedt  Enemy  to  Hatred  &  Revenge,  to  Cruelty 
and  Injuftice.  He  can't  bear  to  fee  the  Widow  or  Father- 
lefs  opprefs'd,  or  the  Poor  defpifed,  or  the  Miferable  in- 
fulted,  or  any  evil  Thing  done  among  his  Subjeds.  And 
therefore  this  good  Governour  has  threatned  Tribulation 
and  Anguifh,  Indignation  &  Wrath,  againft  every  Soul 
that  doth  Evil  ;  and  with  all  his  Authority  has  command- 
ed his  Subjeds  thro  all  this  World,  upon  Pain  of  eternal 
Damnation,  to  do  as  they  would  be  done  by. 

And  then  flill  further  to  engage  his  Subjedls  to  that,  in 
which  their  greateft  Gloiy  and  Bleffednefs  confifts^  he  in 
his  Law  promifes  eternal  Life  to  the  obedient.  Wherein 
the  infinite  Bountifulnefs  of  his  Nature,  as  well  as  his  un- 
Ipeakable  Concern  for  his  Creatures  Welfare,  is  difcovered. 

And  if  we  furvey  his  Condud  towards  Mankind  from 
the  Beginning,  we  may  in  ten  Thoufand  Inilances,  fee  the 
infinite  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature  difplay'd.     If  we  confider 

what 


and  dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  3  5 

what  his  Ways  have  been  towards  an  apoftate  World,  how 
he  has  given  his  Son  to  be  a  Redeemer,  and  his  Spirit  to 
be  a  Sanctifier,  how  he  has  fent  all  his  Servants  the  Pro* 

Ehets,  rifmg  early  and  fending  •,  and  that  notwithflanding 
e  knew  before-hand  what  Treatment  he  fhould  meet  with 
from  a  guilty,  uagrateful,  God-hating  World,  how  they 
would  murder  his  Son,  refift  his  Spirit,  and  kill  hisMefien* 
gers  :  if  we  confider  how  patient  and  forbearing  and  long* 
fufFering  he  has  been  towards  obftinate  Sinners,  how  loth 
to  give  them  over,  fwearing  by  himfelf  that  he  delights 
not  in  their  Death,  but  rather  that  they  turn  and  live  5  even 
while  they  have  contemned  and  affronted  him  in  the  vileil_ 
Manner :  and  if  we  confider  his  dillinguiihing  Favours  to- 
wards his  Eled,  and  the  marvellous  1  hings  which  he  has 
wrought  for  his  Church  and  People  *,  I  fay,  if  we  confider 
thefe  Things,  and  at  the  fame  Time,  look  round  the  World 
and  behold  the  innumerable  common  Favours  ftrewed 
abroad  among  guilty,  Hell-deferving  Rebels,  we  muft  be 
forced  to  own,  that  he  is  good  to  all,  and  that  his  tender 
Mercies  are  over  all  his  Works.  And  the  great  Governour 
of  the  World  evidently  appears  to  be  a  Being  of  infinite 
Goodnefs. 

His  Goodnefs  is  as  unbounded  as  his  Power.  There  is 
noA6l  of  Kindnefs,  which  his  Omnipotency  is  able  to  do, 
but  that  there  is  Goodnefs  enough  in  his  Heart,  to  prompt 
him  to  do  it,  if  all  Things  confidered,  it  be  belt  to  be 
done.  His  Propenfity  to  do  Good  is  fully  equal  to  his 
Abihty.  All  the  Treafures  and  good  Things  of  this  lower 
World  are  his,  and  he  gives  all  to  the  Children  of  Men, 
and  we  fhould  have  enjoyed  all  without  the  leaft  Sor.  ow 
intermixed,  had  not  our  Sin  &  Apoftacy  made  it  necelTary 
for  him  to  give  fomc  Teflimony  of  his  Difpleafure  :  and 
yet  even  the  Calamities  of  Life  are  well  adapted  in  our 
prefent  State  to  do  us  Good. — All  theTreafures  &  Glories 
of  Heaven  are  his,  and  he  offers  all  to  a  guilty  World, 
ajid  a6tually  gives  all  to  fuch  as  are  willing  to  accept  of  all, 
thro'  the  Mediator,  in  the  Way  prefcr.bed.  —  And  what 
can  he  give  more  ?  Can  he  give  his  only  begotten  Son  to 
die  for  Sinners  ?  Behold  he  has  a  Heart  to  do  it !  Can  he 
give  his  holy  Spirit  to  recover  poor  Siiiners  to  God  ?    Be- 

D  2  hold 


36  ^rue  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

hold  he  has  a  Heart  to  do  it !  is  as  ready  to  give  his  holy 
Spirit  to  them  that  afk,  as  Parents  be  to  give  Bread  to  their 
Children  !  And  finally,  can  he  in  any  Senfe  give  Himfelf 
to  his  Creatures  ?  Behold  he  is  willing  to  do  fo,  to  be 
their  God  and  Father  and  Portion,  and  be  all  Things  to 
them,  and  do  all  Things  for  them,  if  they  will  but  accept 
of  him  thro  Jefus  Chrift  !  So  that,  as  I  faid,  his  Propenfity 
to  do  Good  is  fully  equal  to  his  Ability.  And  there  is  no 
doubt,  but  that  he  does  Ihew  all  thofe  KindnefTes  to  his 
intelligent  Creatures,  which,  all  Things  confidered,  arc 
beft  fhould  be  fhewn.  And  his  Underftanding  is  infinite, 
"whereby  he  is  able  to  determine  exadlly  what  is  beft  in  the 
whole,  ny  Mercy  ^  0  Lord,  is  in  the  Heavens  ;  and  thy  Faith- 
fulnefs  reacheth  unto  the  Clouds,  How  excelleyit  is  thy  loving 
Kindnefs,  0  God  I  'Therefore  the  Children  of  Men  put  their 
^rujl  under  the  Shadow  of  thy  Wings,  Pfal.  '^6,  5,  7. 

And  fuch  is  the  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  and  fo  much 
Goodnefs  has  he  in  his  Heart,  that  he  needs  no  Motive  to 
excite  him  to  do  Good  :  ;".  e.  Nothing  from  without.  Thus 
unmoved  &  unexcited  by  any  Thing  from  without  himfelf, 
of  his  own  mereGoodnefs,  he  did,  in  the  Days  of  Eternity, 
determine  to  do  all  that  Good,  which  ever  will  by  him  be 
done,  to  all  Eternity,  when  there  was  nothing  exifting  but 
himfelf,  and  fo  nothing  to  move  him  but  his  own  good 
Pleafure. — Yea,  fuch  is  the  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  that 
he  not  only  needs  no  Motive  from  without  to  excite  him 
to  doGood  •,  but  even  then,when  there  are  allThings  to  the 
contrary,  even  everyThing  in  his  Creatures  to  render  them 
ill-deferving,  and  to  difcourage  and  hinder  his  Ihewing 
Mercy,  and  to  provoke  him  to  Wrath  •,  even  then,  when 
Difcouragements  are  infinitely  great,  and  Provocations  are 
innumerable  -,  yea,  when  there  is  nothing  in  his  Creature 
but  what  is  of  the  Nature  of  a  Provocation  :  even,  in  fuch 
a  Cafe,  he  can  fliew  Mercy  •,  yea,  the  greateft  of  Mercies.  _ 
He  can  give  his  Son  to  die  for  fuch,  and  his  holy  Spirit  to 
fandify  them,  and  himfelf  at  laft  to  be  their  God  &Father 
and  everlafting  Portion.  Such  is  the  incomparable  Good- 
nefs of  his  Nature.  PFho  is  a  God  like  unto  V^'^c !  &-c.  Mc. 
7.  18,19.  —  ^^^  ^^^"  ^^  ^^  ^^  ^^^  Liberty,  in  fuch  Cafes,' 
and  may  a<ft  according  to  his  own  Difcretion,  and  have 

Mercy 


and  diftinguljhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  3  7 

Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy,  and  have  Compafllon 
on  whom  he  will  have  Compafllon.  And  truly  it  is  infi- 
nitely fit  he  Ihould.  To  ad  fovereignly,  in  fuch  Cafes,  is 
infinitely  becoming. — And  indeed,  it  is  fit  he  (hould  dif- 
penfe  all  his  Favours  according  to  his  fovereign  Pkafure. 
It  is  fit  he  fhould  do  what  he  will  with  his  own.  He  knows 
beft  how  to  exercife  his  own  Goodnefs,  and  it  is  perfedly 
fit  that  he  fhould  be  at  Liberty,  and  ad  according  to  his 
own  Difcretion,  according  to  the  Counfel  of  his  ownWill. 
And  becaufe  it  is  infinitely  fit,  therefore  he  adually  does  fo, 
Eph,  I .  II.  He  pafled  by  the  Angels  that  finned,  and 
pitied  finful  Men  ;  he  pafled  by  the  refl:  of  the  ^orld, 
and  chofe  the  Seed  of  Abraham  \  he  fuff^ers  Thoufands  of 
Sinners  to  go  on  in  their  Sins  and  perifli,  and  in  the  mean 
Time,  feizes  here  'and  there  one,  by  his  All-conquering 
Grace,  and  effedtually  laves  them  :  and  all  according  to 
his  fovereign  Pleafure,  becaufe  it  feems  good  in  his  Sight 
fo  to  do.  And  the  Reafon  why  he  a^ts  fovereignly,  is  be- 
caufe in  the  Nature  of  Things  it  is  fit  he  fliould.  There- 
fore his  Sovereignty  is  a  holy,  &  fo  a  glorious  Sovereignty. 
Hence  when  Mofes  defired  to  fee  his  Glory ^  he  dilcovered 
/^/V  unto  him,  Exod.  ^^.  12.  And  becaufe  our  Saviour 
faw  how  fit  and  becoming  it  was  for  God  to  ad  as  a  So- 
vereign in  bellowing  his  Favours,  therefore  he  faw  a  Glory 
in  his  Sovereignty,  and  fo  rejoyced  in  it.  Mat.  11.  25,  26. 
And  fovereign  Grace  is  glorious  Grace  in  the  Eyes  of  every 
one,  who  views  Things  aright,  and  have  right  Frames  of 
Heart.  —  Confidering  that  all  God  has  is  his  own^  that 
he  knows  infinitely  the  beft  what  to  do  with  what  he  has^ 
that  there  can  be  no  Motive  from  without  to  excite  him  to 
adt,  it  is  infinitely  fit  he  fliould  be  left  to  himfelf,  to  ad 
according  to  his  own  Difcretion  ;  and  it  is  infinite  Impu- 
dence for  a  Worm  of  the  Duft  to  intermeddle,  or  go  about 
to  dired  the  almighty  and  infinitely  wife  God.  And  it  is 
infinite  Wickednefs  to  diflike  his  Condud,  and  find  Fault 
with  his  Difpenfations. 

Indeed,  if  there  was  nodiing  of  greater  Worth  and  Im- 
portance than  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures  &  Subjedb, 
and  fo  nothmg  that  hp  ought  to  have  a  greater  Regard  to 
and  Concern  for,  then  it  is  not  to  befuppofed  that  any  of 

D  3  ^^ 


3^         True  Religion  delineated        Drs.  L 

his  Creatures  and  Subje6ts  would  be  finally  miferable.—- 
The  infinitely  good  Governour  of  the  World  has  a  great 
Regard  to  the  Happinefs  of  his  Subje<5ls,  their  Welfare  is 
very  dear  to  him,  and  their  Mifery,  in  it  felf,  or  for  it*s 
own  Sake,  very  undefireable  in  his  Sight  -,  yet  he  has  fo 
much  greater  Regard  to  fomething  elfe,  that  in  fomc  In- 
fiances  he  actually  does  fufFer  Sinners  to  go  on  in  their  Sins 
and  perilh  for  ever  ;  yea,  and  he  will  inflid  the  eternal 
Torments  of  Hell  upon  them. — The  Goodnefs  of  God  is 
a  holy,  wife  and  rational  Goodnefs,  and  not  an  unreafo- 
nable  Fondnefs.  He  will  never  do  a  wrongThing,  to  ob- 
lige ihy  of  his  Creatures  :  No,  he  had  rather  the  whole 
World  Ihould  be  damned  ;  yea,  that  even  his  own  Son 
fhould  die.  Nor  will  he  ever  communicate  Good  to  any 
one,  when  all  Things  confidered,  it  is  not  beft  &  wifeft. 
W^hen  he  firft  defigned  to  create  the  World,  and  firft  laid 
out  his  whole  Scheme  of  Governm.ent,  as  it  was  eafy  for 
him  to  have  determined,  that  neither  Angels  nor  Men 
fhould  ever  fin,  and  that  Mifery  fhould  never  be  heard  of 
in  all  his  Dominions  ;  fo  he  could  eafily  have  prevented 
both  Sin  &  Mifery.  Why  didn't  he  ?  Surely,  not  for 
want  of  Goodnefs  in  his  Nature  -,  for  that  is  infinite :  Not 
from  any  Thing  like  Cruelty  ;  for  there  is  no  fuch  Thing 
in  him  :  Not  tor  want  of  a  fuitable  Regard  to  the  Happi- 
nefs of  his  Creatures  ;  for  that  he  always  has  :  But  it  was, 
becaufe  in  his  infinite  Wifdom  he  did  not  think  it  beft  in 
the  whole.  It  was  not  becaufe  he  had  not  fufficient  Power 
to  preferve  Angels  &  Men  all  holy  and  happy  ;  for  it  is 
certain  he  had.  It  was  not  becaufe  preventing  Grace 
would  have  been  inconfiftent  with  their  being  free  Agents  ; 
for  it  would  not.  It  was  not  becaufe  he  did  not  thoroughly 
confider  &  weigh  the  Thing  with  all  its  Confequences  j  for 
it  is  certain  he  did.  But  upon  the  whole,  all  Things  con- 
fidered, he  judg'd  it  beft,  to  permit  the  Angels  to  fin  and 
Man  to  fall ;  and  fo  let  Mifery  enter  into  his  Dominions. 
It  did  not  come  to  pafs  accidentally  &  unawares,  and  con- 
trary to  what  God  had  ever  thought  of,  or  intended  •,  be- 
caufe it  is  certain,  that  he  knew  all  Things  from  the  Be- 
ginnmg  :  and  it  is  certain,  that  in  an  Affair  of  fuch  a 
Nat^ore  and  of  fuch  Confcquc^cc,  he  could  not  ftand  by  as 

an 


and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  39 

an  idle,  unconcerned  Spedlator,  that  cares  not  which  Way 
Things  go.  There  is  no  doubt  therefore,  but  that  all 
Things  confidcred,  he  thought  it  beft  to  permit  Things  to 
come  to  pafs  juft  as  they  did.  And  if  he  thought  it  bell, 
it  was  beft  ;   for  his  Underftanding  is  infinite  ;  his  Wif- 

dom  unerring,  and  fo  he  can  never  be  miftaken. But 

why  was  it  beft  ?  What  could  he  have  in  View,  preferable 
to  the  Happincfs  of  his  Creatures  ?  And  if  their  Happi- 
nefs  was  to  him  above  all  Things  moft  dear  j  how  could 
he  bear  the  Thoughts  of  their  ever  (any  of  them)  being 
miferable  .? — Why,  —  it  is  certain  he  thought  it  beft,  and 
therefore  it  is  certain  he  had  a  View  to  fomeihing  elfe  be* 
fides  merely  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures,  to  fomcthing 
of  greater  Importance,  and  more  worthy  to  bear  a  govern* 
ing  Sway  in  his  Mind,  by  which  it  became  him  to  be  above 
all  Things  influenced,  in  laying  out  &  contriving,  how 
Things  ihould  proceed  and  be  difpofed  in  the  World  he 
defigned  to  create. — But  what  was  that  Thing,  which  was 
of  greater  Worth  &:  Importance,  and  fo  more  worthy  to 
bear  a  governing  Sway  in  his  Mind,  and  to  which  he  had 
the  greateft  Regard,  making  all  other  Things  give  Way  to 
this  ?  What  was  his  grand  End  in  creating  &  governing 
the  World  ?  Why,  look  — what  End  he  is  at  laft  like  to 
obtain,  when  the  whole  Scheme  is  finiflied,  and  the  Day 
of  Judgment  paft,  &  Heaven  &  Hell  filled  with  all  their 
proper  Inhabitants.  And  what  will  be  the  final  Refult  ? 
What  will  he  get  by  all  ?  —  Why,  in  all  he  will  exert 
and  difplay  every  one  of  his  Perfedions  to  the  Life,  and 
fo  by  all  will  exhibit  a  moft  perfed  and  exadt  Image  of 
himfelf.  And  now,  as  he  is  infinitely  glorious  in  being 
what  he  is,  therefore  that  Scheme  of  Conduct  which  is 
perfedlly  fuited,  to  exhibit  the  moft  lively  and  exadt  Image 
of  him,  muft  be  infinitely  glorious  too.  And  therefore 
this  is  the  greateft  and  beft  Thing  he  can  aim  at  in  all  his 
Works  :  and  this  therefore  ought  to  be  his  laft  End,  Now 
it  is  evident,  that  the  Fall  of  the  Angels  and  of  Man,  to- 
gether with  all  thofe  Things  which  have  and  will  come  to 
pafs  in  Confequence  thereof,  and  occafioned  thereby,  from 
the  beginning  of  the  World  to  the  Day  of  Judgment,  and 
throughout  Eternity,  will  ferve  to  give  a  ^uch  more  lively 

P  4  and 


4©  ^ruc  Religion  delineated       Dis,  L 

and  perfefb  Rcprefentation  of  God,  than  could  pofllbly 
have  been  exhibited,  had  there  never  been  any  Sin  or 
Mifery.  The  Hclinefs  and  Jullice,  the  Goodnefs,  Mercy 
and  Grace  of  God  lliirie  much  more  bright.  They  have 
been  v;ith  an  aflonifliing  Luflre  and  Glory,  difplayed 
in  the  Death  of  Chrift,  and  will  be  difplayed  forever 
in  Heaven  and  in  Flell,  as  they  could  not  have  been, 
had  not  Sin  and  Mifery  ever  been  permitted  to  enter  into 

God's  World. Indeed,  if  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  it 

had  been  v/rong  for  God  to  have  permitted  any  of  his 
Creatures  to  fin,  and  then  to  punilli  them  for  it  \  if  God 
had  been  bound  in  Duty,  or  in  Goodnefs,  to  keep  them 
from  Sin,  or  to  fave  them  when  they  had  finned ;  then  the 
Cafe  had  been  otherwife.  But  fince,  in  the  Nature  of 
Things,  it  was  fit  he  fhould  be  at  Liberty,  and  ad  accord- 
ing to  his  own  Difcretion  ;  and  fince  the  End  he  had  in 
View,  was  fo  noble  and  God-like  •,  therefore  his  Condu6l 
in  thisAffair  was  infinitely  right,  fit  and  becoming,  and  fo 
infinitely  glorious.  Certainly,  God  thought  it  was  fo,  or 
he  would  not  have  done  as  he  did.  And  therefore  if  we 
view  Things  as  God  did,  and  have  a  Temper  &  Frame 
of  Heart  like  unto  his,  we  ihall  think  fo  too,  And,  as  I 
faid  before,  it  is  horrid  Pride  &  Impudence  for  us  to  pre- 
tend to  know  better  than  the  infinitely  wife  God,  and  infi- 
nite Wickednefs  for  us  to  pretend  to  find  Fault  with  his 
Condud.  Rom.  9.  19 — 23.  *  Thus,  if  he  had  aimed 
merely  ^t  the  llappinefs  of  his  Creatures,    he  could  eafily 

have 

*  Object.  But  furely  it  could  not  be  confiHent  with  the  diviceGood- 
nefs,  from  all  Eternity,  to  .decree  the  everlafling  Mifery  of  his  Crea- 
tures. 

Answ.  God  has  in  Fa£l  permitted  Sin  to  enter  into  the  World,  does  in 
Fa6l  penult  many  to  die  in  their  Sins,  will  in  Fa6l  punifh  them  for 
eVer  ,♦  and  all  confiftent  with  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  as 
every  one  muft  acknowledge.  And  fmce  it  is  confiftent  with  his 
Goodnefs  to  do  as  he  does,,  it  wa«?  confident  with  his  Goodnefs  to  dc- 
tenrjve  with  himfelf  before-hand  to  do  fo  : —  What  God,  /rom  Eter^ 
iiity,  decreed  to  do  ;  that  God,  in  Tim,  will  do  :  therefore  if  all 
.(jod\?  Condua  be  holy,  jull,  and  good,  fo  alfo  are  all  his  Decrees, 
Urilef>  we  can  fuppofe  it  to  be  nvrong,  for  the  infinitely  wife  GoA, 
from  all  Eternity,  to  .determine  upon  a  ConduSl  in  all  Refpefls  n^/f'/ : 
^^Ti  which  nothing  fan  be  more  abfird. 


and  dtfitnguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  4 1 

have  fo  ordered,  that  Pharaoh  Ihould  willingly  have  let 
Ifrael  go,  and  he  could  have  led  Ifrael  in  lefs  than  forty- 
Days  to  the  pronnifed  Land,  and  put  them  in  an  imme- 
diate PoiTefllon.  But  there  was  fomething  elfc  which  he 
had  a  greater  Regard  to  :  And  there! ore  Pharaohh  Heart 
is  hardened,  and  all  his  Wonders  are  wrought  ih  the  Land 
of  E^ypt.  The  Tribes  of  Ifrael  march  to  the  Borders  of 
the  Red-Sea^  the  Sea  parts,  Ifrael  goes  thro',  but  the  Egypti- 
ans  are  drowned.  And  now  Ifrael  is  tempted  &  tried,  and 
they  fin  and  rebel,  and  fo  are  doomed  to  wander  forty 
Years  in  the  Wilderncfs,  and  to  have  their  Carcafes  fall 
there.  And  why  was  all  this  ?  Why  —  becaufe  his  De- 
fign  was  to  difplay  all  his  Perfedions,  and  fill  the  whole 
Earth  with  his  Glory.  Exod.^.iG.  Numb. i4.,2i.  And  now, 
becaufe  it  is  the  moft  noble  Thing  that  God  can  have  in 
View,  to  a6t  forth  all  his  Perfediions  to  the  Life,  and  fo 
exhibit  the  m.oft  exa6l  Reprefentation  of  himfelf  in  his 
Works  ;  therefore  it  is  infinitely  fit  he  fhouid  make  this 
his  lail  End,  and  all  other  Things  fubfervient  -,  and  his 
Condudt  in  fo  doing  is  infinitely  beautiful  &  glorigus. — ^ 
Thus  we  fee  how  the  Goodnefs  of  God  is  difplayed  in  his 
Governnient  of  the  World  ;  &  fee  that  it  is  an  unbounded, 
rich,  free  Goodnefs  •,  and  that  all  the  Exercifes  of  it  are 
fovereign,  and  under  the  Diredion  of  his  infinite Wifdom  : 
fo  that  God  is  infinitely  glorious  on  the  Account  of  this 
Perfedlon  of  his  Nature.    Exod.  33.  19.  ^  34-  5»  ^j  7* 

Rom.  9.  Eph.  I.  I 12. 

(7.)  His  unchangeable  'Truth  and  Faithfulnefs^  is  alfo  dif- 
covered  in  his  Government  of  the  World  •,  and  that  in  the 
Fulfilment  of  his  Promifes,  and  the  Execution  of  his 
Threatnings.  Did  he  promife  to  be  Abrahamh  God  ?  So 
he  was.  Did  he  promife  to  give  the  Land  of  Canaan  to 
his  Seed  for  an  Inheritance  ?  So  he  did.  Did  he  promife 
to  fend  his  Son  into  the  World,  and  to  fet  him  up  a  King- 
dom upon  Earth  ?  Even  fo  he  has  done.  And  he  is  in 
like  Manner  true  and  faithful  to  all  his  Promifes,  which 
he  has  made  to  his  People. — And  did  he  threaten  to  drown 
the  old  World,  to  make  Ifrael  wander  forty  Years  in  the 
Wildernefs,  to  deliver  them  into  the  Hands  of  their  Ene- 
mies, at  what  Time  foever  they  fhouid  forfake  him,  and 

go 


43  True  Religion  delineated        Dis,  I. 

go  and  ferve  other  Gods,  and  finally  to  fend  them  Cap- 
tives into  Babylon  for  feventy  Years  ?  Even  fo  he  has  done. 
God's  Word  may  always  be  depended  upon  :  for  what  he 
defigns,  that  he  fays  •,  and  what  he  fays,  that  he  will  do. 
And  this  \s  another  of  the  glorious  Perfedions  of  his 
Nature. 

Thus  all  the  Perfections  of  God  are  difcovered  in  his 
Government  of  the  World.     By  his  ConduB  we  may  fee 

what  he  /V,  and  learn  the  very  Temper  of  his  Heart. 

And  now,  I  might  go  thro'  his  other  Works,  His  redeem- 
ing, juftifying,  fandifying  Sinners,  and  bringing  them  to 
eternal  Glory  at  laft,  and  fhew  how  his  glorious  Perfefti- 
ons  fhine  forth  in  them.  But  I  have  already  hinted  at  fome 
of  thefe  Things,  and  fhall  have  Occafion  afterwards  to  view 
the  divine  Perfections  fhining  forth  in  thefe  Works  of  God, 
when  I  come  to  confider  the  Nature  of  the  Gofpel.  Suf- 
ficient has  been  faid  to  anfwer  my  prefent  Purpofe ;  and 
therefore  forBrevity's  Sake,  I  will  proceed  no  further  here. — 
Thus  then  we  fee,  how  the  Perfedions  of  God  are  mani- 
fcfted  in  his  Works, 

Secondly.  T^he  fame  Reprefentation  is  made  of  God  in  his 
Word.  For  thefe  great  Works  of  God,  his  creating, 
preferving  &  governing  the  World,  his  redeeming,  fandi- 
fying  and  faving  of  Sinners,  are  the  Subjed-Matter  of  all 
the  Bible.  God  in  his  Works  ads  out  his  Perfedions, 
and  in  his  Word  lays  thp  whole  before  our  Eyes  in  Wri- 
ting. Therein  he  has  told  us  what  he  has  done,  and  what 
he  intends  to  do  j  and  fo  has  delineated  his  glorious  Per- 
fedions  in  the  plaineft  Manner.  —  In  his  Word^  God  has 
revealed  himfelf  to  the  Children  of  Men,  has  manifefted 
and  Ihewn  what  he  is.  But  how  ?  Why,  by  declaring  and 
holding  forth  his  Works,  as  that,  in  which  he  has  exhi- 
bited the  Image  of  himfelf.  Thus,  the  Scriptures  begin 
with  an  Account  of  God's  creating  the  World,  and  goes 
on  throughout  all  the  old  Teftament  informing,  how  he 
preferves  &  governs  it.  And  then  in  the  New-Teftament 
we  are  informed  more  particularly  how  he  rcdeems,juftifies, 
fendifies,and  faves  Sinners.  And  now,  as  theAdions  of  a 
Man  difcover  the  Temper  &  Difpofition  of  his  Heart, 
and  Ihew  what  he  is :  fo  the  Works  of  God  from  firft  to 

laft, 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  43 

laft,  all  taken  together,  hold  forth  an  exadl  Reprefenta- 
tion  of  himfelf.     If  we  will  begin  with  God's  creating  the 
World,  and  furvey  all  his  Condud  in  the  Light  of  Scrip- 
ture •,  his  Condud  towards  Man  before  the  Fail,  and  alter 
the  Fall,  his  Condud  towards  Abel  and  Cain^  Enoch  and 
Noah^  and  all  the  oldWorld,  his  Condudl  towards  Lot  and 
Sodomy  towards  Abraham^  Ifaac  and  Jacobs  and  Jofeph^  to- 
wards the  Children  of  Ifrael^  in  Egypt^  at  the  Red-Sea^  in 
the  iVildernefsy  at  Sinaiy  at  Majfahy  at  Taberah,  &:c.     and 
in  the  Times  of  Jojhmy  of  their  Judges,  of  their  Kings,&c. 
And  then  come  into  the  New  Teftament,   and  furvey  his 
Condud  with  Relation  to  the  Redemption  &  Salvation  of 
Sinners,  and  then  look  forward  to  the  great  Judgment- 
Day,   and  fee  his  whole  Scheme  finilhed,  fee  the  Refult, 
the  Conclufion  and  End  of  all  ;  look  up  to  Heaven  and 
take  a  View  of  that  World,  and  look  down  to  Hell  and 
furvey  the  State  of  Things  there  •,  from  the  whole  we  may 
fee  WHAT  God  is  :    for  in  the  whole,  God  exerts  his 
Nature,  and  by  the  whole  God  defigns  to  exhibit  an  ex- 
ad  Reprefentation  of  Himfelf.     And  then  are  our  Appre- 
henfions  of  God  right  and  according  to  'Tnithy   when  wc 
take  in  that  very  Reprefentation  which  he  has  made  of 
himfelf.  And  now  to  account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being 
what  he  is,  and  to  love  him  with  all  our  //i?<^r/j,becaufe  he  is 
what  he  is,is  the  veryThing  which  the  Law  of  God  requires. 
And  indeed,  fo  plain  is  that  Reprefentation  which  God 
has  made  of  himfelf  by  his  Works  and  in  his  Word ;  and 
he  is  really  fo  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is,  that 
were  not  Mankind,  thro  their  exceeding  great  Depravity, 
intircly  void  of  a  right  ^afie  and  Relifh  for  true  Beauty^ 
they  could  not  but  be  even  ravifhed  with  the  divineBeing. 
They  would  naturally  feel  as  they  do  in  Heaven,   and  na- 
turally fpeak  their  Language,  Holy^  holy^  holy^  is  the  Lord 
0f  Hofis  V    the  whole   Earth  is  full  of  his  Glory  !  (  IfaL 
6.  3.)  But  fuch  is  the  vile  Temper  of  finful  apoftate  Crea- 
tures, that  they  are  not  only  blind  to  the  moral  Excellency 
of  the  divine  Nature,  but  are  even  in  a  Hated,   habitual 
Contrariety  to  God  in  the  Frame  of  their  Hearts.  (Rom. 
8.  7.)  And  hence,  the  Manifeftation  which  God  has  made 
of  Himfelf,canfindnoPlac€  in  theirHearts.O*.8.37.)They 

can- 


True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

cannot  attend  to  Things  of  fuch  a  Nature  {ver.  43.)  becaufe 
fo  difagreable  to  their  Tafte.  For  {yer.  47  J  He  that  is  of 
God^  heareth  God's  Words  :  ye  therefore  hear  them  not^  becaufe 
ye  are  not  of  God.  'Tis  hard,  to  bring  unregenerate  Men 
fo  much  as  to  have  right  Notions  of  what  God  is,  becaufe 
he  is  a  Being  in  his  Nature  fo  contrary  &  difagreable  to 
them.  They  do  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  Knowledge, 
{Rom,  I.  28.)  Men  had  rather  that  God  was  another  Kind 
of  a  Being,  different  from  what  he  really  is,  and  more 
like  themfelves,  one  that  would  fuit  their  Temper, 
and  ferve  their  Intereft  ♦,  and  therefore  they  frame 
fuch  a  one  in  their  own  Fancy,  and  then  fall  down  and 
worfhip  the  falfe  Image  which  they  have  fet  up.  From 
hence  it  is,  that  all  thofe  falfe  Notions  of  God  have  taken 
their  Rife,  which  have  always  filled  the  World. — But  were 
Men  brought  to  have  right  Notions  of  what  God  is,  and 
to  take  in  that  very  Reprefentation,  which  he  has  made  of 
Himfelf,  by  his  Works  and  in  his  Word  ;  yet  they  would 
be  fo  far  from  accounting  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being 
what  he  is,  that  they  would  fee  no  Form  or  Comelinefs  in 
him  wherefore  they  fhould  deftre  him  :  But  would  feel  the 
like  malignant  Spirit  towards  him,  as  the  Jews  did  to- 
wards their  Prophets,  and  towards  Chrift  and  hisApoftles ; 
only  in  a  worfe  Degree.  The  fame  Temper  which  caufed 
the  Exercife  of  fuch  Enmity  towards  their  Prophets, 
and  towards  Chrift  and  hisApoftles,  would  have  caufed  as 
great  or  greater  towards  God  himfelf,  had  they  but  had 
right  Notions  of  him.  And  the  clearer  Apprehenfion-  a 
Sinner  has  of  God,  the  more  will  his  Enmity  exert  itfelf ; 
becaufe  a  finful  Nature  and  a  holy  Nature  are  diametri- 
cally oppofite  to  each  other.  And  therefore  the  cleareft 
external  Revelation  of  God  cannot  bring  Sinners  to  love 
him.  All  the  World  will  fee  juft  what  a  Kind  of  a  Being 
he  is  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  and  that  in  a  very  plain 
and  clear  manner  :  But  yet  they  whofe  Nature  it  is  to  hate 
him  for  being  what  he  is,  will  hate  him  ftill  ;  yea,  hate 
him  more  than  ever.  And  therefore,  befides  the  external 
Revelation  which  God  has  made  of  himfelf  by  his  Works 
and  in  his  Word,  there  is  an  abfolute  Neceflity  that  he 
Ihould  internally  reveal  hiipfelf  in  his  Glory  to  the  Heart 

of 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  45 

of  a  Sinner,  in  order  to  beget  divine  Love  there.     Which 
brings  me  to  add. 

Thirdly,  God  reveals  his  infinite  Glory^  in  being  what  he 
is,  in  the  Hearts  of  Sinners^  by  his  holy  Spirit.  Mat,  ii. 
25, — 27. •  By  his  Works  and  in  his  Word  he  has  re- 
vealed what  he  is,  and  that  in  a  Manner  fufficiently  plain, 
even  fo  plainly,  that  there  is  no  Need  at  all  of  any  further 
objedtive  Revelation  :  and  he  is  really  infinitely  glorious  in 
being  what  he  is.  Now  therefore  if  we  would  rightly  at- 
tend to  that  Revelation  which  God  has  made  of  Himfelf, 
we  could  not  but  have  right  Apprehenfions  of  Him  ;  and 
if  we  had  a  good  Tafte  for  true  Beauty,  we  could  not  but 
be  ravilhed  with  his  Glory  :  but  we  are  naturally  difinclin- 
ed  to  right  Apprehenfions  of  God,  and  are  entirely  deflitute 
of  a  trueTafte  foi^oral  Beauty.  And  hence  we  may  learn 
what  Kind  of  inward  Illumination  we  ftand  in  Need  of 

from  the  Spirit  of  God. We  do  not  need  the  holy 

Spirit  to  reveal  any  new  'Truths  concerning  God,  not  already 
revealed  •,  for  the  external  Revelation  which  he  has  made 

of  himfelf,  is  fufficiently  full We  do  not  need  to  have 

the  holy  Spirit  immediately  reveal  all  thefe  Truths  con- 
cerning God  over  again  to  us,  by  Way  of  objective  Revela- 
tion, or  immediate  Infpiration  •,  becaufe  the  external  Reve- 
lation already  made  \%  fufficiently  plain. — We  only  need  (i.) 
to  be  eiFedually  awakened,to  attend  to  thofe  Manifeftations 
which  he  has  made  of  himfelf  in  his  Works  and  Word, 
that  we  may  fee  what  he  is:  And  (2.)  to  have  2ifpiritual 
Tafle  imparted  to  us,  by  the  immediate  Influence  of  the 
Holy  Ghoft,  that  we  may  have  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  in 
being  ftich  :  For  thefe  two  will  lay  an  eff'edual  Foundation 
in  our  Hearts  for  that  Love,  which  the  Law  requires. —  By 
the  common  Influences  of  the  Spirit,  we  may  be  awakened 
to  a  realizing  Sight  and  Senfe  of  what  God  is  -,  and  by  the 
fpecial  and  fandlifying  Influences  of  the  Spirit,  we  may  re- 
ceive a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  in  being  fuch.  And  alfo 
the  Senfe  of  his  Glory  will  naturally  caufe  us  to  fee  more 
clearly  what  God  is  :  for  a  Senfe  of  the  moral  Excellency 
of  the  divine  Nature  fixes  our  Thoughts  on  God,  and  the 
more  ourThoughts  are  fixed,the  more  difl:in6tly  we  fee  what 
ha  is.     And  while  we  fee  him  to  be  what  he  is,  and  fee  his 

infinite 


46  True  Religion  d.eli?ieated         Dis  L 

infiniteGlory  in  being  fuch,hereby  a  divine  Love  is  naturally 
enkindled  in  our  Hearts.  And  thus,i7<r  that  commanded  the 
Light  tojhine  out  cf  Darknefs^JJjines  in  cvs  Hearts^  a72d  gives 
us  the  Light  of  the  Knowledge  cf  the  Glory  of  God :  And  fo 
we  all  with  open  Face,  behold  as  in  a  Glafs,  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord^  and  are  changed  into  the  fame  Image,  (  2.  Cor,  3.  18. 
and  4.  6.) —  A  Sight  of  the  moral  Excellency  ct  the  divine 
Nature  makes  God  appear  infiniiely  glorious  in  every  Re- 
fpedl.  Thofe  Things  in  God,  which  before  appeared  ex- 
ceeding dreadful,  now  appear  unfpeakably  glorious.  His 
Sovereignty  appears  glorious,  becaufe  now  we  fee  he  is  fit 
to  be  a  Sovereign,  and  that  it  is  fit  and  right  he  ihould  do 
what  he  will  with  his  own.  His  Juftice  appears  glorious, 
becaufe  now  we  fee  the  infinite  Evil  of  Sin.  And  a  Con- 
fideration  of  his  infinite  Underftanding  and  almighty  Pow- 
er, enhances  his  Glory.  And  while  ^Pview  what  he  is, 
and  fee  his  Greatnefs  and  Glory,  and  confider  his  original, 
entire,  underived  Right  to  all  Things,  we  begin  to  fee  why 
he  alTumes  the  Charader  of  moil  high  God,  fupreme  Loi^, 
and  fovereign  Governour  of  the  whole  World  -,  and  vJ-e 
refign  the  Throne  to  him,  and  take  our  Places,  and  become 
his  wiUingSubjeds,  and  our  Hearts  are  framed  to  love  him 
and  fear  him  and  truft  in  him  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  we 
give  up  our  felves  to  him,  to  walk  in  all  his  Ways  &  keep 
all  his  Commands,  feeking  his  Glory.  And  thus  a  Sight 
and  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Ex- 
cellency of  the  moil  high  God,  lays  the  firft  Foundation 
for  a  divineLove.  God's  being  what  he  is,  is  the  primary 
Reafon  that  he  requires  us  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts  \ 
and  it  is  the  firft  Motive  of  a  genuine  Love. 

I  might  now  pafs  on  to  confider  the  additional  Obligations 
we  are  under  to  love  God  ;  but  that  it  may  be  profitable 
to  ftop  a  while,  and  a  little  confider  the  Nature  and  Pro- 
perties of  this  firfi  and  great  eft  and  moft  fundamental  Obliga^ 
tion  •,  and  take  a  View  of  feme  important  Confequences  necef- 
farily  following  therefrom.  And  here, 

I.  This  Obligation  is  binding  antecedently  to  any  Confx- 
deration  of  Advantage  or  Bifadvantage,  of  Rewards  or  Pu- 
nifhments  -,  and  even  prior  to  any  Confideration  of  the  pfi- 
tivc  Will  fnd  Law  cf  God  himfelf 

2.  It 


and  dijlingutjhed from  aU£lounterfeits.  47 

2.  It  is  infinitely  binding. 
5.  It  is  eternally  binding. 

4.  It  is  unchangeably  binding, 

5.  It  is  that  from  which  all  other  Obligations  originaV^ 
derive  their  binding  Nature. 

I .  This  Obligation,  which  we  are  under  to  love  God  with 
all  our  Hearts^  refulting  from  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the 
divine  Nature,  is  binding  antecedently  to  any  Conjideration  of 
Advantage  or  Difadvantage^  of  Rewards  or  Punijhments^  or 
even  of  the  pojitive  Will  and  haw  of  God  himfelf —  To  love 
God  with  all  our  Hearts  naturally  tends  to  make  us  hap* 
py ;  and  the  contrary,  to  make  us  miferable ;  and  there 
are  glorious  Rewards  promifed  on  the  oneHand,  &  dreadful 
Punilhments  threatned  on  the  other  •,  andGod,asGovernour 
of  the  World,  has  with  all  his  Authority  by  his  Law  ex- 
prefly  required  uijjf  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  for- 
bidden the  contrary  :  and  all  thefeThings  are  binding :  buc 
yet  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  lays  us  un- 
der Bonds  prior  to  any  Confideration  of  thefe  Things.  So 
that  if  our  Intereft  did  not  at  all  lie  at  Stake,  and  if  there 
had  never  been  any  exprefs  Law  in  the  Cafe,  yet  it  would 
be  right,  and  our  indilpenfable  Duty,  to  love  God  with  all 
our  Hearts.  His  being  infinitely  lovely  inHimfelf,  makes 
it  our  Duty  to  love  Him.  For  he  is  in  himfelf  worthy  of 
our  higheft  Efleem  •,  he  deferves  it  ;  it  is  in  the  Nature  of 
Things  his  Due  :  and  that  antecedent  to  any  felfifh  Confi- 
deration, or  any  exprefs  Law  in  the  Cafe.  To  fuppofe  the 
contrary,  is  to  deny  the  infinite  Amiablenefs  of  the  divine 
Nature,  and  to  take  away  the  very  Foundation  of  the  Law 
it  felf,  and  the  very  Reafon  of  allRewards  and  Punilhments. 
For  if  our  fupreme  Love  is  not  due  to  God,  then  he  is  not 
infinitely  lovely  ;  and  if  he  does  not  deferve  to  be  loved 
with  all  our  Hearts,  why  does  he  require  it  ^,  And  if  in  the 
Nature  of  Things  it  is  not  right  and  fit  that  we  Ihould  love 
Him,  and  the  contrary  unfit  and  wrong,  what  Grounds  are 
there  for  Rewards  or  Punifliments  P  So  that  it  is  evident, 
the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  binds  us,  and 
makes  it  our  Duty,  antecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  Ad- 
vantage or  Difadvantage,  Rewards  or  Punilhments,  or  even 
of  the  pofitive  Will  and  Law  of  God^,  to  love  God  with  all 

our 


48  Tf^tie  Religion  deli7teated       Dis.  I. 

our  Hearts  j  and  therefore  our  Love  mud  primarily  take 
its  Rife  from  a  Senfe  of  this  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine 
Nature,as  has  been  before  obferved  •,  and  that  feemingLove, 
which  arifes  meerly  from  fclfifh  Confiderations,   from    the" 
Fear  of  Punifhment  or  Hope  of  Reward,  or  becaufe  the 
Law  requires  it,  and  fo  'tis  a  Duty  and  muft  be  done,  is 
not  genuine  :  But  is  a  feliifh,"  a  mercenary,  and  a  forced 
Thing.     How  evidently  therefore  do  thofe  difcover  their 
Hypqcrify,  who  are  wont  to  talk  after  the  following  Man- 
ner ?  "  If  I  am  eleded,  I  fhall  be  faved,  let  me  do  what 
•*  I  will;  and  if  I  am  not  eledied,  I  fhall  be  damned,  let 
"  me  do  vv^hat  I  can  :  And  therefore  it  is  no  Matter  how 
*'  I  live."  And  again  after  this  Sort  "  If  I  knew  certain- 
"  ly  that  God  had  made  no  Promifes  to  the  Duties  of  the 
"  Unregenerate,  as  fome  pretend,  I  \muld  never  do  any 
*'  more  in  Religion."  Surely  they  hacSSs  good  fay,  that 
they  have  no  Regard  at  all  to  the  mfinite  Excellency  of  the 
divine  Nature,    but  are  intirely  influenced  by  felfifh  and 
mercenary  Motives  in  all  they  do.     They  don't  feem   to 
underftand  that  they  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love 
God  with  all  their  Hearts  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing, 
refulting  from  God's  being  what  he  is,  and  that  antecedent 
to  all  felfiihConfiderations.Such  know  not  God.  {iJoh.'^.G) 
2.     This  Obligation  refulting  from  the  intrinfick  Excel- 
lency and  Amiablenefs  of  the  divine  Nature,  is  infiyiitely 
binding  :  Becaufe  this  Excellency  and  Amiablenefs  is  in  it 
felf  infinite.     Our  Obligation  arifes  from  his  Defcrt ;  but 
he  infinitely  deferves   our  Love,  becaufe  he  is  infinitely 
lovely.     When  any  Perfon  is  lovely  and  honourable,  Rea- 
fon  teaches  us,  that  we  ought  to  love  and  honour  Him  ; 
and  that  it  is  wrong,  to  diflike  and  defpife  Him.     And  the 
more  lovely  and  honourable,  the  greater  is  our  Obligation 
to  love  and  honour  him  ;  and  the  more  aggravatcdly  vile 
is  it,  to  treat  him  with  Contempt.     Since  therefore  God  is 
a  Being  of  infinite  Dignity,  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excel- 
lency, hence  we  are  under  an  infinite  Obligation  to  love 
him  with  all  our  Hearts  -,  and  it  is  infinitely  wrong,  not  to 
do  fo.     Since  he  is  infinitely  worthy  to  be  honoured  and 
obe^'^ed  by  us,therefore  we  are  under  an  infiniteObligationto 
honour  &:  obey  Him  :  And  that  with  all  our  Heart  &  Soul, 
and  Mind  and  Strength.         Hence,  [1  -l 


and  dijliiigtiipjedfr^om  all  Cotmterfeits.  49 

[  I  ]  PerfeH:  Love  and  perfc^  Ohcdknce  deferve  no  Thanks 
at  his  Hands.  If  we  periedly  love  him,  even  with  ail  our 
Hearts  •,  and  give  up  our  fc4ves  entirely  and  for  ever  to 
him,  to  do  his  Will  and  feek  his  Glory ;  and  fo  cordi- 
ally delight  in  him,  as  to  take  up  our  full  and  ever- 
lafting  Contentment  in  him  -,  yet  in  all  this,  we  do  but 
our  Duty  :  and  we  do  no  more  than  what  we  are  under 
an  infinite  Obligation  to  do.  And  therefore  we  deferve 
no  1  hanks.  {Luk.  1 7.  9,10.)  Yea,  we  do  nothing  but  that 
in  which  confills  our  higheft  Perfeclicn,  Glory  &  Blefled- 
nefs  ;  and  therefore  inftead  of  deferving  Thanks,  we  ought 
to  account  it  an  exceeding  great  Priviledge,  that  we  may 
thus  love  the  Lord,  live  to  him,  and  live  upon  him.  {PfaL 
.19.  10.) 

When  therefo^^ternal  Life  was  promifed  in  the  firft 
Covenant,  as  thft/lh^ard  of  perfed  Obedience,  it  was  not 
under  the  Notion  of  any  Thing  being  merited-,  nor  did  it 
ever  enter  into  the  Hearts  of  the  Angels  in  Heaven  to 
imagine,  they  merited  any  Thing  by  all  their  Love  and 
Service  :  for  from  their  vtrj  Hearts  they  all  join  to  fay. 
Worthy  art  thoti^  O  Lord,  to  receive  Glory,  and  Honour, 
and  Praifefor  ever.  And  they  deferve  no  Thanks  for  their 
doing  fo  j  for  they  but  own  the  very  Truth. 

"When  therefore  finful  Men,  poor  Hell-deferving  Crea- 
tures, think  it  much,  that  they  Ihould  love  and  ferve  God 
fo  well,  and  take  fo  great  Pains  in  Religion  ;  and  are  rea- 
dy to  think,  that  God  and  Man  ought  highly  to  value  them 
for  their  fo  doing,  and  are  always  telling  God  and  Man 
hov/  MIGHTY  Good  they  are;  as  he,  Luk.  18.11,12.  God, 
I  thank  thee,  I  ar^^  not  as  other  Men  are.  Extortioners,  Un- 
jiifi.  Adulterers,  or  even  as  this  Publican  ; —  No,  far  from 
this,  I  am  one  of  the  beil  Men  in  all  the  World,  —  Ifafi 
twice  in  the  Week,  I  give  Tythes  of  all  that  I  pojfefs  - —  This 
appeared  to  him  fuch  a  mighty  Thing,that  he  thought  it 
quite  worth  while  to  tellGodhimfelf  ofit: — Now,Ifay,\vhen 
this  is  Men's  Temper,  it  is  a  Sign  they  neither  know  God, 
nor  love  him  :  for  if  they  did,  they  could  not  fet  fo  high 
a  Price  upon  their  Duties,  fince  he  is  fo  infinitely  deferv- 
ing.—  The  plain  Truth  is,  fuch  have  intolerable  mean 

E       '  Thoughts 


50  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Thoughts  of  God,  and  intolerable  high  Thoughts  of  them- 
felves  •,  they  are  brim-full  of  fpirituai  Pride  &  Self-Righ- 
teoufnefs  :  and  fuch  are  exceeding  hateful  in  the  Sight  of 
God.  They  implicitly  lliy,  that  God  is  not  infinitely  glo- 
rious, and  infinitely  worthy  of  all  Love  and  Honour  ;  he 
does  not  deferve  it,  it  is  not  his  Due  •,  but  rather  he  is 
beholden  to  his  Creatures  for  it,  and  ought  to  render  them 
many  Thanks  for  their  Love  &  Service.  The  Language 
of  theirHearts  is,  God  hasfo  little  Lovelinefs^  that  it  is  much 
to  love  him. — Like  a  bad  Mother-in-Law,  who  thinks  it 
nothing  to  do  all  Things  for  her  own  Children,  becaufe 
fhe  loves  them  ;  but  grudges  every  Step  flie  takes  for 
the  reil,and  thinks  every  little  a  great  deal,  becaufe  fhe  cares 
not  for  them  :  So  fuch  Men  think  it  nothing  to  rife  early 
and  fit  up  late,  to  get  the  World,  to|£t  Riches,  Honour 
and  rieafure  ;  for  they  love  themfeUs  :  but  think  it 
MUCH  to  take  the  tenth  Part  of  the  Pains  in  Religion  ; 
becaufe  they  don't  love  God.  Their  whole  Frame  of 
Mind  cafts  infinite  Contempt  upon  the  glorious  Majefty  of 
Heaven,  to  whom  all  Honour  is  infinitely  due,  and  in 
whofe  Service  all  the  Hofts  of  Heaven  account  themfelves 
perfedly  blelfed  :  for  they,  vile  Wretches  !  feel  as  if  they 
deferved  to  be  paid  for  all. 

True,  there  are  glorious  Rewards  promifed  in  the  Law 
and  in  the  Gofpel.  But  why  ?  and  upon  whatGrounds  ^ — 
A  Man  may  be  faid  to  be  rewarded  in  three  different 
Senfes. —  (i.)  PVhen  he  receives  what  he  ftri^ly  deferves^ 
as  an  Hireling  receives  his  Wages  at  Night.  But  in  this 
Senfe  the  Angels  in  Heaven  are  not  capable  of  a  Reward  ; 
for  in  ftrid:  Juflice  they  deferve  nothing.  {Ltik.  ly.  9,10. 
Rom.  II.  ^c,.) —  They  are  no  Hirelings,  for  God  has  a 
natural  original,underived,  entire  Right  to  them  ;  as  much 
as  he  has  to  the  Sun,  Moon  and  Stars  :  and  thefe  therefore 
deferve  to  be  paid  for  their  fhining,  as  much  as  the  Angels 
do  for  their  working.  —  Bcfides,  if  the  Angels  do  love 
God,  it  is  no  more  than  he  infinitely  deferves. —  And  far- 
ther, the  Services  of  Angels  do  not  profit  God,  and  fo 
lay  him  under  no  Obligations ;  any  more  than  the  Birds 
profit  the  rifing  Sun  by  their  Morning-Songs,and  fo  lay  the 
Sun  under  Obligations  to  fhine  all  Day.  Job  22,  2,3,  Can 


and  diJli7igidpoedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   5 1 

a  Man  he  'profitable  unto  Gcd^  as  he  that  i^  wife  may  he  pro- 
fitable unto  himfelf?  Is  it  any  Pleafure  to  the  Almighty^  that 
thou  art  Righteous  ?  or  is  it  Gain  to  him^  that  thou  makefi 
thy  Ways  perfect  ?  And  yet  even  in  this  grofs  Senfe,  Self- 
righteous  Perfons  feel  at  Heart,as  if  they  defcrved  a  Reward 
for  their  good  Duties  •,  tho'  perhaps  they  are  not  v/illingto 
own  it.  Hence  they  are  fo  apt  to  think  it  would  be  very 
hard,  unjufl  and  cruel,  if  God  fhould  damn  them  for  their 
paft  Sins,  notwithilaiiding  all  their  good  Duties.  Ifai.  s^.'^. 
Wherefore  hwje  we  fafted^  fay  they^  and  thou  feefi  not  ? — 
But,  (2.)  A  Man  may  be  faid  to  be  rev/arded,  when,  al- 
tho'  in  Itrict  Juilice  he  deferves  nothing,  yet  he  receives 
great  Favours  at  the  Hands  of  God  in  Tejiimony  of  the  divine 
Approbation  of  his  P  erf  on  and  Services.  And  thus  the  An- 
gels in  Heaven,  4|^'  they  deferve  nothing,  yet  have  eter- 
nal Lite  beflowed  upon  them,  as  a  Reward  to  their  perfedl 
Obedience,  in  Teilimony  of  the  divineApprobadon.  God 
rewards  them,  not  becaufe  they  do  him  any  Good,  nor  be- 
caufe  they  defence  any  Thing  at  his  Hands  ;  but  becaufe 
he  infinitely  loves  Right eoufnefs^  and  to  appear  as  an  infi- 
nite Friend  to  this^  in  his  publick  Conduct,  as  moral  Go- 
vernour  of  the  World.  The  mofb  that  can  be  faid  of  the 
holieft  Angel  in  Heaven,  is,  that  he  is  fit  to  be  approved 
in  the  Sight  of  God,  becaufe  he  is  perfe6lly  fuch  as  God 
requires  him  to  be.  And  now,  becaufe  God  loves  to  put 
Honour  upon  Vertue,  and  to  exercife  the  infinite  Bounti- 
fulnefs  of  his  Nature,  therefore  he  gives  them  the  Reward 
of  eternal  Life.  And  thus  God  promifed  us  eternal  Life, 
upon  Condition  of  perfed  Obedience,in  the  firft  Covenant : 
as  if  God  had  faid,  "  If  you  will  love  me  with  all  your 
"  Heart,  and  obey  me  in  every  Thing,  as  you  are  bound 
"  in  Duty  to  do  ^  then,  altho*  you  will  deferve  nothing, 
"  yet  as  becomes  a  holy  and  good  God,  a  kind  &  bounti- 
"  ful  Governour,  I  will  make  you  everlallingly  bleffcd  in 
"  the  Enjoyment  of  myfelf ;  and  that  inTeftimony  of  my 
"  Approbation  of  your  perfed  and  fleadyFidelity."  And 
fo  by  Covenant  and  Promife  this  Reward  would  have  been 
duey  had  the  Condition  been  performed.  Hence  that  in 
Rom.  4.  4.  Now  to  him  that  worketh^  is  the  Reward  not 
reckoned  of  Gr^ce^  but  of  DEBT.     And  now  here  Self- 

E  2  righ- 


52  T7'ue  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

righteous  Perfons  are  wont  to  come  in  with  their  Works, 
and  infift  upon  their  Right,and  plead  the  Reafon  cf  Things, 
as  well  as  the  Promife.  "  If  we  do  (lay  they)  as  well  as 
*'  we  can,  which  is  all  that  God  does  or  can  in  Juftice  re- 
"  quire  of  us,  furely  he  will  accept  of  us :  it  would  be 
"  cruel,  to  call  us  off :  his  Goodnefs  and  Faithfulnefs  are 
"  engaged  for  us."  Juft  as  if  they  had  now  made  full 
Amends  for  all  their  pail  Sins  by  their  Repentance  and  Re- 
formation \  and  grown  to  be  as  good  as  Angels,  by  taking 
fome  little  Pains  in  Religion  !  For  the  beft  Angel  in  Hea- 
ven does  not  pretend  to  any  other  Title  to  BlefTednefs  than 
this  •,  namely,  that  he  has  done  as  well  as  he  can,  and  that 
this  is  all  that  God  has  required,  and  altho'  he  is  an  unpro- 
fitable Servant,  yet  he  depends  upon  thePromife,theGood- 

nefs  and  Faithfulnefs  of  his  Bountiful  QUator. Indeed, 

Self-righteous  Perfons  m2iy  pretend  to  exped  dllfor  Chrift's 
Sake  -,  and  fay,  that  what  they  do,  only  entitles  them  to  an 
Intereft  in  him  :  But  it  is  all  mere  Pretence  \  for  flill  they 
think,  that  God  is  bound  to  give  them  an  Intereft  in  Chrift 
and  eternal  Life,  if  they  do  as  well  as  they  can  •,  and  would 
think  God  dealt  very  hardly  with  them,  if  he  did  not.  So 
that  their  real  Dependance,  at  Bottom,  is  upon  their  own 
Goodnefs,theirownWorthorWorthinefs,to  make  Amends  for 
pad  Sins,  and  recommend  them  to  God,  and  entitle  them  to 
all  Things  j  the  infinite  Abfurdity  of  which  will  be  evident 
prefently. Again,  ( 3. )  A  Man  may  be  faid  to  be  re- 
warded, when  he  neither  deferves  any  Thing,  nor  is  it  fit- 
ting that  his  Perfon  and  Condud,  confidered  merely  as  they 
be  in  thcmfelves^  fhould  be  approved  -,  but  ought  to  be  con- 
demned, according  toReafon,and  according  to  God's  righ- 
teous Law,  they  being  fo  finfully  defedlive  j  neverthelefs 
fuch  a  Man  may  be  faid  to  be  rewarded,  when  merely  oh  the 
Account  of  his  Interefl  in  the  Righteoufnefs  and  JVorthinefs 
of  Christ,  his  Perfon  and  Performances  are  accepted,  and 
peculiar  Favours  fhewn  him.  And  in  this  Way  are  Be- 
lievers accepted,  according  to  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  arid 
entitled  to  the  Reward  of  eternal.  Life.  {Fhil.  3.  8,  9.  Eph-, 
1.6.  I  P^^.2.5.  )  Now  thofe  who  look  for  a  Reward  in /to 
Way,  will  be  fo  far  from  thinking  it  MUCFI,  which  they 
have  donf^for  God,  that  they  will  forever  fet  alLdo^vrt  for 

'-    '  •  Nothing, 


and  difiingiiljhed  from  all  Cowtterfetts.  53 

Nothing  Scworfe  than  Nothing,  *  their  beft Duties  being  fo 
Hnfully  defective ;  and  judge  the mfelves  worthy  of  Hell  eve- 
ry Day,  and  every  Moment  :  And  all  theirDependancewill 
be  on  Chrift's  Worthinefs,  and  the  free  Grace  of  God  thro* 
Him.  {Luk,  18.  13.  Rom,  3.  24.  )  And  all  that  is  faid  in 
the  New-Teftament  about  God's  rewarding  the  Believers 
good  Works,  being  viewed  in  this  Light,  gives  not  the 
lead  Countenance  to  a  Self-righteous  Spirit,  but  militates 

directly  againft  it. And  indeed,   if  we  were  as  perfed 

as  the  Angels  in  Heaven,  it  appears  from  v/hat  has  been 
faid,  that  we  Ihould  deferve  no  Thanks.  It  is  impudent 
therefore,  and  wicked,  it  is  contemptuous,  and  in  a  Sort 
blafphemous,  and  moft  God-provoking,  for  a  proud  con- 
ceited Pharifee^  to  feel  as  he  does  in  his  Self-righteous 
Frames.  And  Ged  might  expoflulate  with  fuch  a  one  in 
this  Manner  •,  "  What,  is  there  fo  little  Loveiinefs  in  me  ! 
"  And  is  it  fo  great,  fo  hard,  fo  felt-denying,  to  love  me, 
**  that  you  think  it  fuch  a  mighty  Thing  !  and  exped:  now, 
''  that  all  pafl  Sins  fliall  be  forgiven,  and  my  Favour  fe- 
''  cured,  for  this  good  Frame  !  Yea,  and  that  I  fhall  give 
"  you  Heaven  into  the  Bargain  !  What,  are  your  Obliga- 
"  tions  to  me  fo  fmall,  that  I  mufl  be  fo  much  beholden  to 
"  you  for  your  Love  !  Whiat,  did  you  never  hear  that  I 
"  was  the  LORD!  And  that  it  was  I  that  ftretched  abroad 
"  the  Heavens !  And  that  you  are  my  Clay, whom  I  form- 
■"  ed  and  fafhioned  for  my  Self  !  Be  gone,  thou  impudent 

E  3  ''  Wretch 

*  Wcrfe  than  nothing. Note.  I  do  not  mean,  that  an  imperfeft  and 

very  defedliveConformity  to  the  Law  is  worfe  and  more  odious  inGod's 
Sight,  than  no  Conformity  at  all  :  but  only,  that  there  is  more  Odicuf- 
nefs  than  Amiablenefs  in  fuch  defeftiye  Services.  And  that  there  fore,  we 
are,  in  the  Sight  of  God,  on  their  Account,  more  proper  Objefts  of 
Hatred  and  Punifhment,  than  of  Love  and  Reward ;  if  confidered 
merely  as  in  our  felves,  without  any  Refpe<5tto  our  Relation  to  Chrift  . 
So  that  in  Point  of  recommending  our  felves  to  God,  we  do,  by  our  bed 
I)uties,thus  confidered,rather  difcommend  curfelves  in  hisSight.  And  in 
thisSenfe  they  are  Worfe  thanNothwg :  They  are  even  fo  far  from  paying 
pur  conftant  Dues,  that,  in  the  Sight  of  God,  they  conllantly  run  us  into 
Debt.  We  are  infinitely  to  blame  in  our  beft  Frames  and  beft  Duties, 
and  have  not  any  Thing  in  them,  which  tends,  in  God's  Sight,  in  the 
kaft  Degree,  tp  Counterbalance  our  Blame.  —  But  if  any  are  defirous 
to  fee  this  Poiijt  fully  explained  and  proved,  and  all  Objedlions  ar^- 
fwered,  I  refer  them  to m.  Edivardis  excelkot Difcourfe  on  Jujlijici 
tion  hy  Faith  akne. 


54  True  Religion  delineated         Dis  I. 

"  Wretch,  to  Hell,  thy  proper  Place  :  thou  art  a  Defpifer 
^'  of  my  glorious  Majefty,  and  your  Frame  of  Spirit  favours 
**  of  Blafphemy.  Know  it,  I  am  not  fo  mean,  as  you  ima- 
"  gine,nor  at  all  beholden  to  you  for  yourLove.'  'And  this 
is  one  Reafon  that  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Wicked  is  fuch  Z-xiAbo- 
mination  to  the  Lord  •,  not  only  when  they  pray  with  a  View 
to  recommend  themfelves  to  their  Fellow- Men  •,  but  alfo 
when  in  doing  their  bell,  they  only  delign  to  ingratiate 
themfelves  with  God.  Prov.  21.  27.  ^e  Sacrifice  of  the 
Wicked  isAbormnation[tvtn  his  very  ht\x)How  much  more  ivhen 
he  hringeth  it  with  a  wicked  Mind  F  The  infinite  Greatnefs, 
Glory  and  Excellency  of  God,  and  the  infinite  Obligation 
thence  refulting  which  w^e  are  under  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  renders  a  Self-righ- 
teous Spirit,  unfpcakably  odious  and  ii^finitely  provoking 
in  the  Eyes  of  a  holy  God.  But  this  will  appear  Hill  plainer 
under  the  next  particular.         To  proceed  therefore, 

[2.J  If  we  are  under  an  infinite  Obligation  to  love  God 
fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  take  everlaftingDe- 
light  in  him,  becaufe  of  his  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency, 
then  the  leqft  Difpcfition  to  difefleem  him,  to  be  indifferent 
about  his  Interefl  and  Honour,  or  to  difreliih  Communion 
with  him  •,  or  the  leaft  Bifpcfiiicn  to  love  cur  feives  more 
thdn  God,  and  be  more  concerned  about  our  Intereil  and 
Honour,  than  about  his,  and  to  be  pleafed  and  delighted  in 
the  Things  of  the  World,  more  than  in  him,  muft  ccnfe- 
quently  htinfinitely  fi^fuU  *  as  is  felt-evident. 

When  therefore  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  threat- 
ens eternal  Damnation  for  the  leaft  Sin,  (  as  in  GaL  3.10.) 
he  does  the  Thing  that  is  perfectly  Right  :  for  an  infinite 
Evil  deferves  an  infinite  Punilhment. 

Hence  alfo,  it  is  no  Wonder  that  the  holieft  Saint  on 
Earth  mourns  fo  bitterly,  andloaths  and  abhors  himfelffo 

exceedingly, 

*  The  leaft  Sin  may  be  an  infinite  Evil,  becaufe  rf  the  infinite  Obligati- 
on v/c  are  under  to  do  otherwifc  ;  and  yet  all  Sins  not  be  equally  hei- 
nous :  For  there  is  as  great  a  Difference  among  Infinites,  as  among 
Finites  ;  I  mean,  among  Things  that  are  infinite  only  in  one  Refpe6l. 
For  Inftance,  to  be  for  ever  in  Hell  is  an  infinite  Evil,  in  Refpeft  of  the 
Puration  ;  bat  yet  the  Damned  arc  not  all  equally  miserable.  Some 
may  be  an  hundred  Times  as  miferable  as  others,  in  Degree  \  altho* 
the  .Mifery  of  all  is  equal  in  Point  of  Duraj^ion. 


and  dijlinguipjed  from  all  Counterfeits.   5  5 

exceedingly,  for  the  remaining  Corruptions  of  his  Heart. 
For  if  the  leaft  Difpofition  to  depart  from  God  and  difrelifh  : 
Communion  with  him,  and  to  be  carelefs  about  his  Honour- 
and  Intereft,  is  infinitely  finful  •,  then  the  beflMen  that  ever 
lived,  have  infinite  Reafon  alv/ays  to  lie  as  in  the  Duft,  and 
have  their  Hearts  broken.  Although  it  be  fo  with  them, 
that  all  which  the  World  calls  good  and  greats  appears  as 
Drofs  to  them  •,  and  it  is  nothing  to  them,  to  part  with 
Friends  and  Eflate,  Honour  and  Eafe,  and  all,  for  Chrift  ; 
and  although  they  have  a6lually  fuiFered  the  Lofs  of  all 
Things,  and  do  count  them  but  Dung,  not  worth  mourning 
about,  or  repining  after  :  Yet  notwithllanding  all  thefe At- 
tainments, attended  with  the  fulled  AfTurance  of  eternal 
Glory  in  the  World  to  come,  they  have  infinite  Reafon  to 
do  as  they  do,  to  diflike  themfelves,to  hate  themfelves,and 
lie  down  in  the  Duft  all  in  Tears  •,  becaufe  ftill  there  is  fuch 
a  remaining  Difpofition  in  their  Hearts  to  difefteem  the 
Lord  of  Glory,  to  negle6l  hislntereft,  and  depart  from  him; 
and  becaufe  they  are  fo  far  from  being  what  they  ought  to 
be,  notwithftanding  the  Obligations  lying  upon  them  are 

infinite. Oh,  this  is  infinitely  vile  and  abominable,  and 

they  have  Reafon  indeed  therefore  always  to  loath  &  abhor 
themfelves,  and  repent  in  Duft  and  Afhes  :  Yea,  they  are 
infinitely  to  blame  tor  not  being  more  humble  &  penitent. — 
A  Sight  and  Senfe  of  thefe  Things  made  Job  lie  down  in 
the  Duft,  and  mourn  fo  bitterly  tor  his  Impatience  under 
his  paft  Afflidions,  tho'  he  had  been  the  moft  patient  Man 
in  the  World.  (  Job  42.  5,  6. )  This  made  the  Pfalmift  call 
himfelf  2iBeaft.  {Pfal.  73,  22.)  And  hence  Paul  called 
himfelf  the  chief  of  Sinners  -,  and  cried  out,  I  am  carnal^  fold 
under  Sin  \  O  wretched  Man  that  I  am  !  And  hated  to 
commend  himfelf  when  the  Corinthians  drove  himito  it,  and 
feemed  to  Blufh  at   every  Sentence,  and  in  a  Sort  recalled 

his  Words, /  am  not  a  whit  behind  the  very  chief  of  the 

Apoftles^  yet  I  am  nothing  ;  I  laboured  more  abundantly  thayi 
they  all,  yet  not  /. Such  a  Sight  of  Things  kills  a  Self- 
righteous  Spirit  at  Root,  in  the  moft  exalted  Saint :  for  he 
has  nothing  (all  Things  confidered  )  to  make  a  Righteouf- 
nefs  of,  but  in  ftridl  Juftice  merits  eternal  Damnaticji  every 
Hour,  and  does  nothing  to  make  the  leaft  Amend... 

E  4  For. 


56  True  Religion  delmeated        Dis.  L 

For,  if  perfed  Obedience  merits  no  thanks,  as  was  be- 
fore obferved  \  and  it  the  leaft  Sin  is  an  infinite  Evil,  and 
deferves  an  infinitePuniihment,  as  we  have  now  leen  •,  then 
a  whole  Eternity  of  perfedlObedience  would  do  jufi:  nothing 
towards  making  the  leaft  Amends  for  the  fmalleft  Sin  ; 
much  lefs  will  the  beftServices  of  the  higheft  Saint  onEarth. 
And  confequently  when  Faiil  came  to  die,  he  deferved  to 
be  damned  (  confidered  merely  as  mhhnfclf)  as  much  as 
when  he  was  a  bloody  x'erfecutor,breathing  outThreatnings 
and  Slaughter,  yea,  and  a  great  deal  miore  too.  For  ail 
his  Diligence  and  Zeal  in  the  Service  of  Chrift,  did  jail 
nothing  towards  m.aking  the  leaft  Amends  for  what  was 
paft  •,  and  his  daily  Short-comings  and  fmful  Defeds  run 
him  daily  infinitely  more  &  miore  into  Debt  ^  which  he  did 
nothing  to  Counterbalance.  And  henceP^w/ accounts  him- 
felf  to  be  Nothings  (2  Cor.  12.  11.)  as  well  he  mjght  ;  and 
all  his  Attainments  to  be  in  aSenfe  not  worth  remembring, 
{Phil.  3.  13.  )  and  looks  upon  himfelf  the  chief  of  Si?iners^ 
(  I  'Tim.  I.  15.  j  and  lefs  than  the  leaft  of  till  Saints  (  Eph. 
3,  8.)  and  durft  venture  his  Soul  upon  nothing  but  mere 
free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.  (  Phil.  3.  8,  9.  )  And  hence, 
thus  it  is  with  every  Believer,  even  the  moil  holy  f  altho' 
he  daily  lees  what  a  God  he  has  fmned  againil,  how  he  has 
finned  againft  him,  and  does  from  a  gracious  Relped:  to 
God  mourn  for  Sin,  for  all  Sin,  as  the  greateft  Evil,  and 
fmcerely  turns  from  all  to  the  Lord,  and  gives  up  himfelf 
to  God,  to  love  him  and  live  to  him  for  ever  \  yet  he  feels 
that  all  this  makes  no  Amends  at  all  for  his  Sins.,  but  that  he 
really  deferves  to  be  damned  for  them  as  much  as  ever  : 
Yea,  he  feels  that  he  is  infinitely  blame-worthy  for  not  be  • 
ing  miore  hum.ble  and  penitent  and  felf- abhorring,  and  that 
Ilo  his  Defert  of  Damnation  is  infinitely  increafing  continu- 
ally. And  hence  he  looks  upon  the  Grace  that  laves  him 
as  abfolutely  and  divinely  free,  and  infinitely  great  •,  and 
always  derives  all  his  Hopes  of  Happinels  from  the  free 
Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.  And  this  is  what  the  A- 
poilie  means,  when  he  fpeaks  of  his  living  by  the  Faith  of 
the  Son  of  GocU  (Gal.  2.  20.^  of  his  rejoycing  in  Chrift  Jefusy 
and  having  no  Confidence  in  the  Flcft:).  (  Phil.  3.3.)  And  this 
'if^^  the  Caufc  of  his  fo  earneftly  longing  to  )x.  founds  not- in- 

himfelf 


^     anddijlingtdped from  all  Counterfeits.   57 

himfelf,  but  in  Chrifl  ;  7iot  having  on  his  own  Right eoufnefsy 
hut  the  Right  ccufnefs  which  is  ofGod  by  Faith,  (Phil. 3. 8,9.)-— 
How  direilly  contrary  to  all  this,  is  theTcmper  of  the  blind 
conceited  Pharifee^   as  expreffed  by  Maimonides^   the  Jew^- 
who  was  profeffediy  one  of  that  Sed  ?  "  Every  Man  ( fays 
"  he)  hath  his  Sins,  and  every  Man  his  Merits  :  And  he 
'*  that  hath  more  Merits  than  Sins,  is  a  juft  Man  \  but  he-. 
*-'  that  hath  more  Sins  than  Merits,  is  a  wicked  Man."  And. 
this  is  the  Way  of  fuch  Men  :  They  put  their  Sins,    as  it 
were,  into  one  Scale,  and  their  good  Duties  into  the  other  j 
and  when  they  fancy  their  Goodnefs  out-v.  eighs  their  Bad- 
nefs,then  they  look  upon  themfelves  in  the  Favour  otGod. — 
But  to  return, 

From  what  has  been  faid  we  may  learn,  that  the  more 
fenfthle  any  Man  is  of  the  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency  of 
God,  and  of  his  infiniteObligations  thence  refulting  to  lov^c 
God  with  all  his  Heart,  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  the 
clearer  will  he  fee  that'  perfed  Obedience  deferves  noThanks, 
and  that  the  leafl  Sin  is  an  infinite  Evil  and  deferves  an  in- 
finite Punilhment  ♦,  and  fo  he  will  renounce  his  own  Righ- 
teoufnefs,  die  to  himfe-lf,  and  come  down  to  nothing,  more 
and  more :  And  fo  will  be  proportionably  m.ore  and  more 
fenfible  of  his  abfolute  Need  of  Chrifl  &  free  Grace :  And 
hence  the  more  holy  a  Man  grows,  the  more  humble  will 

he  be. And  on  the  contrary,,  the  7nore  infenftbk  a  Man 

is  of  God's  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency,  and  of  his  Obli- 
gations thence  refulting,  the  more  will  he  value  his  Duties, 
and  the  lefs  Evil  will  he  fee  in  Sin,  and  the  lefs  fenfible  will 
he  be  of  his  ill  Defert,  and  of  his  Need  of  Chrifl  and  free 
Grace.     And  hence  a  felf-righteous,   impenitent,   Chrifl- 

defpifing  Spirit  reigns  in  all  who  know  not  God. And 

thus  we  fee  fome  of  the  Confequences  necefTarily  following 
from  that  infiniteObligation  to  loveGod  with  all  ourHearts, 
which  we  are  under,  refulting  from  the  infinite  Glory  and- 
Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature. —  But  to  pafs  on, 

3.  This  Obligation  we  are  under  to  loveGod  with  all  our 
I;Iearts,  arifing  from  his  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency,is  in,, 
the  Nature  of  Things  eternally  binding.     God,  hisBeingi-. 
Perfedions,  and  Glory  will  be  eternal  •,  God  will  always  . 
be  infinitely  amiable  5  always  as  amiable  as  he  is  now.   And 

there 


^9         True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

there  will  be  always  therefore  t\\t  fameReafon  that  he  Ihould 
be  loved,  for  being  what  he  is  •,  even  the  very  fame  Reafon 
that  there  is  now. This  Obligation  is  therefore  perpe- 
tually binding  amidft  all  the  Changes  of  this  Life.  Whe- 
ther we  are  fick  or  well,  inProfperity  or  inAdverfity  -,  whe- 
ther we  are  raifed  to  Honour  with  David,  or  live  in  Afflu- 
ence with  Solomon  \  or  whether  we  are  in  Prifon  Wixhjofeph, 
or  on  the  Dunghill  with  Joby  or  v/andring  about  in  Sheep- 
fkins  and  Goat-fkins,  deftitute,  afflided,  tormented,  with 
thofe  mentioned  in  the  Eleventh  to  the  Hebrews  •,  flill  this 
Obligation  upon  us  to  loveGod  is  invariably  the  fame.  For 
God  is  always  infinitely  amiable  in  himfelf  •,  yea  and  al- 
ways will  be  fo,  whether  we  are  in  the  Earth,  or  inHeaven, 
or  in  Hell.  And  therefore  it  always  is  and  always  will  be 
our  indifpenfable  Duty  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,let 
what  will  become  of  us  ,  and  let  our  Circumftances,  as  to 
Happinefs  and  Mifery,  be  what  they  v/ill. 

Did  our  Obligations  to  love  God,arife  merely  from  aCon- 
fideration  di  fomething  elfe  befides  the  eternal  Excellency  of 
the  divine  Nature,  from  fom.ething  which  might  altogether 
teafe  in  Time,  then  might  it  pofTibly  fome  Time  or  other 
ceafe  to  be  our  Duty  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  :  But 
afluredly  it  can  never  <:^^y^,  untilGod  ceafes  to  be  what  he  is. 
The  infinite  Obligation  hence  arifmg  will  be  eternally  Bind- 
ing.— Indeed  if  all  our  Obligations  to  love  -God  did  arife 
merely  from  fome  felfiih  Confiderations,  then  in  Hell, 
where  thefe  felfiih  Confiderations  will  ceafe,  it  would  ceafe 
to  be  a  Duty  to  love  God.  If  I  were  obliged  to  love  God, 
only  becaufe  he  loves  me,  is  kind  to  me,and  defigns  to  make 
me  happy  ;  then  when  he  ceafes  to  love  me,  to  be  kind  to 
me,  andto  intend  my  Happinefs,  all  my  Obligations  to  him 
would  ceafe  •,  and  it  would  be  no  Sin,  not  to  love  him . 
But  now,  fince  our  Obligations  to  love  God,  arife  original- 
ly from  his  being  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  antecedent  to  all 
felfiih  Confiderations  •,  therefore  it  will  for  ever  remain  our 
Duty  to  love  him,  let  our  Circumftances,  as  to  Happinefs 
or  Mifery,  be  what  they  will  :  And  not  to  love  him  with 
all  our  Hearts,  will  for  ever  be  infinitely  Wrong.  Hence 
the  Guilt  of  the  fallen  Angels  has  been  increafing  ever  fince 
their  firft  Apoftacy  \  and  the  Guilt  of  all  the  Damjied  will 

be 


and  dijliitguijhed  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.   5  g 

be  increafing  to  all  Eternity  :  And  no  Doubt  theirPunifh- 
meat  will  increafc  in  the  fame  Proportion.  How  incon- 
ceivably and  infinitely  dreadful,  therefore,  will  be  their 
Cafe,  who  are  thus  continually  finking  deeper  and  deeper  in 
that  bottomlefs  Pit  of  Wo  and  Mifery  1  And  indeed,  if  this 
be  the  Cafe,  Plell  may  well  be  compared,  as  it  is  in  Scrip- 
ture, to  a  Bottomlefs  Pit.  Rev.  9.  i.  &  20.  i. 

4.  This  Obligation  which  we  are  under  to  loveGod  with 
all  our  Hearts,  refulting  from  the  infiniteExcellency  of  the 
divine  Nature,  is  21{q  unchangeably  binding.  As  unchange- 
able as  the  divine  Nature  is,  as  unalterable  as  the  divine 
Beauty  is,  even  fo  unchangeable,  fo  unalterable,  in  the  very 
Nature  of  Things,  is  this  our  infinite  Obligation,  to  love 
him  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him 
fuperlatively.  As  God  is  infinitely  lovely  in  himfelf,  and 
unchangeably  fo,  fo  it  is  felf-evident  we  are  under  an  infi- 
nite and  invariable  Obligation  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts.  This  cannot  but  be  always  our  Duty.  So  long 
as  God  remains  what  he  is,  this  will  remain  cur  Duty.  It 
will  in  the  Nature  of  Things  be  unalterably  right  and 
fit  to  love  him  •,  and  not  to  do  fo,  unalterably  unfit  and 

wTong. Our  finking  down  into  ever  fo  bad  a  Temper, 

and  getting  to  be  ever  fo  remote  from  a  Difpofition  to  love 
him,  can  no  more  free  us  from  the  Obligation,  than  it  can 
caufe  him  to  ceafe  being  amiable.  He  muft  ceafe  to  be 
amiable,  before  our  Obligation  thence  arifing  can  poflibly 
ceafe  to  be  binding.  If  there  be  no  Alteration  in  his  infi- 
nite Beauty,  there  can  pofTibly  be  no  Alteration  in  he  infi- 
nite Obligation  thence  arifing.  While  God  remains  what 
he  is,  and  while  our  natural  Powers  and  Faculties  are  main- 
tained in  Being,  it  muft  continue  our  Duty  to  love  God 
with  all  our  Hearts,  and  it  cannot  but  be  our  Duty.  In  the 
Nature  of  Things  it  is  right ;  and  the  Obligation  is  juft 
as  incapable  of  any  Alteration,  as  is  the  Equality  between 
twice  two  and  four. —  The  fallen  Angels  are  of  fo  bad  a 
Temper,  that  the  very  Thoughts  of  God  will,  doubtlcfs, 
fooner  than  any  Thing,  ftir  up  all  their  Hatred  :  But  God 
deferves  to  be  perfedly  loved  by  them,  as  much  as  he  did 
before  their  Apoftacy.  There  is  a  great  Alteration  in  the 
Temper  of  their  Minds  j  but  not  the  leaft  Shadow  of 

Change 


6o  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

Change  in  the  divine  Beauty.  Their  having  contrafled  fo 
bad  and  wicked  a  Temper,  cannot  furely  make  it  right  and 
lawful  for  them  to  indulge  it,  and  continue  in  it.  Their 
impious  Revolt  furely  cannot  free  them  from  theAuthority 
and  Government  of  Almighty  God.  He  deferves  their 
Homage  and  Subje6i:ion,  as  much  as  ever  he  did.  The 
original  Ground  of  all  ftill  remains  ♦,  he  is  ftill  THE 
LORD. —  The  fame  may  be  faid  of  fallen  Man.  It  is  im- 
poflible,  that  our  bad  Temper  fliould  free  us  from  our  Ob- 
ligation to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts.  It  is  ftill,  in  the 
Nature  of  Things,  as  wrong,  not  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  as  ever  it  was,  or  as  it  would  have  been,  had  we 
not  joined  with  the  fallen  Angels,  and  turned Apoftates.  It 
muft  be  fo,  unlefs  our  being  of  fo  bad  and  wicked  aTemper 
makes  it  right  for  us  to  continue  of  fuch  a  Temper,  and  we 
not  at  all  blame- worthy  for  afting  agreeable  thereto  •,  that 
is,  unlefs  our  being  fo  very  bad  and  wicked,  makes  us  not 
at  all  to  blame  for  our  Badnefs  and  Wickednefs.  And  fo 
according  to  this  Rule,  the  viler  any  Creature  grows,  and 
the  more  averfc  to  God  &  to  allGood,  thelefs  he  is  to  blame  : 
Which  is  one  of  the  grolleft  Abfurdities  in  the  World. 
Therefore, 
( I .)  ^he  divine  Law  which  requires  us  to  love  God  with  all 
our  Hearts^  conjidered  as  a  Rule  of  Duty ^  is  in  the  Nature  of 
things  unalterable^  and  ahfolutely  uncapable  of  any  Abatement^ 

more  or  lefs, The  Thing  required,  is,  in  the  Nature  of 

Things,  our  Duty,  antecedent  to  any  Confideration  of  an 
exprefsLaw  in  the  Cafe.  As  that  Children  ought  to  ho- 
nour their  Parents,  and  Neighbours  do  as  they  would  be 
done  by,  are  Things  in  themfclves  Right,  and  Duties  an- 
tecedent to  any  Confideration  of  an  exprefsLaw  in  theCafe. 
{Eph.  6.  I.)  7'hefe  Things  would  have  been  Duties,if  there 
had  never  been  any  Laws  made  concerning  them  by  God 
or  Man.  Yea,  they  are  in  their  own  Nature  fo  Right,that 
they  cannot  but  be  our  Duty,  and  to  difhonour  ourParents, 
and  Cheat  and  Defraud  and  Injure  our  Neighbour,  can't 

but  be  Wrong. So  to  love  God  with   all  our  Hearts 

is  originally  right  and  lit  and  our  Duty  •,  and  would  have 
been  fo,  had  there  never  have  been  any  pofitive,  exprcfs 
T  aw  in  the  Cafe. 

Now 


'    and  dijiinguifhed from  all  Counterfeits.  6i 

Now  the  grand  Reafon  why  God  the  great  Governour 
of  the  World  ever  made  a  Law  requiring  of  us  to  love  him 
with  all  our  Hearts^  was  becaufe  it  was  thus  in  its  ownNa- 
ture  fo  infinitely  fit.  And  now  to  fuppofe,  that  he  would 
repeal,  or  alter,  or  abate  this  Law,  when  the  Grounds  and 
Reafons  of  his  firft  making  of  it  remain,as  forceable  as  ever; 
when  the  Thing  required  is  as  right  &  fit  as  ever  ♦,  &  when 
it  becomes  him,asGovernourof  the  World,llill  to  require  i  ,  as 
muchasever  •,  Ifay,to  fuppofe  fuchaThing,cafts  the  higheft 
Reproach  upon allhisgloriousPerfedlions.—Itcaflsthehigheft 
Reflexion  upon  his  infinite//<?//«^y}, whereby  he  is  infinitely 
inclined  to  love  Right  and  hate  Wrong  •,  for  it  fuppofes 
him  to  releafe  hlsCreatures  from  doing  Right,and  to  allov/ 
them  to  do  Wrong  ^  a  little  at  lead. —  It  cafts  the  highefl 
RefletHon  upon  his  impartial  J eijlice, whereby  he  is  infinitely 
inclined  to  give  every  one  their  Due  ;  for  it  fuppofes  him 
to  releafe  his  Creatures  from  giving  unto  God  the  Glory 
which  is  his  Due,  and  to  allow  tiiem  to  keep  back  Part  at 
leaft. —  It  cafts  the  higheft  Refle6bion  upon  his  Stability  and 
Truth  :  For  it  fuppofes  him  to  .alter  his  Law,  when  there 
is  no  Reafon  for  it. — Yea,  it  refleds  even  upon  hisGoodnafs 
it  felf  :  For  it  is  fo  far  from  being  a  Benefit  to  his  Crea- 
tures to  have  this  excellent  Law  altered,  which  is  fo  com- 
pleatly  fuited  to  thePerfedion  and  Happinefs  of  their  Na- 
ture, that  it  would  be  one  of  the  greateft  and  foreftCalami- 
ties  which  could  happen.  Like  the  altering  all  the  good 
Laws  and  Rules  in  a  Family,  merely  to  humour  and  gra- 
tify a  rebellious  Child,  who  will  not  be  governed.  Such  a 
Child  fliould  be  made  to  conform  to  the  wholefome  Laws 
of  the  Family,  and  not  the  Laws  be  abated  and  bro't  down 
to  a  Level  with  his  bad  Temper  and  perverfe  Humour. — ' 
And  finally,  it  cafts  the  higheft  Reflection  upon  the  infinite 
Wifdom  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  :  For  it  fup- 
pofes him  to  go  counter  to  his  ownHonour  and  to  theGood 
of  his  Creatures,  to  counterad  all  his  Perfections,  and  contra- 
di6t  theReafon  &  Nature  ofThings  •,  &  thatmerejyin  Con- 
defcenfionunto,&  incompliance  with,  the finfulcorruptTafte 
andlnclinations  of  an  apoftare,rcbellious,God-hatingWorJd. 

And  now,  how  could  the  great  Governour  of  the  World 
clear  and  vindicate  the  Honour  of  his  c-reat  Nam.e,in  mak- 


62  True  Religion  delineated        Bis,  I. 

ing  any  Abatements  in  this  Law,  which  requires  us  to  love 
him  with  all  our  Hearts  ?  Would  he  fay,  that  he  had  before 
required  mort  Love  than  was  his  Due  ?  Surely,  nothing  can 
be  much  more  biafphemous,  than  to  fuppofe  this. — Would 
he  fay,  that  he  does  net  defe-rcefo  rauch  as  he  did  F  Still  it  is 

equally  biafphemous,  to  fuppofe  this.— Would  he  fay, 

that  iefs  than  is  his  Due,  is  ^iLL  that  is  his  Due  ?  But  this 

would  be  to  contradict  himfelf,  in  exprefs  Terms. Or 

would  he  openly  proiefs  to  quit  hisRight  and  freely  allow  his 
Creatures  to  defpife  him  a  little,  and  fin  fometimes,  inCon- 
defcenfion  unto  and  Compliance  with  the  corrupt  Inclina- 
tions of  their  finful  Hearts  }  But  this,  in  the  Nature  of 
Things,  would  be  infinitely  Wrong  and  Diflionourable. — 
Upon  what  Grounds  then  could  the  fupreme  Governour  of 
theWorld  go  about  to  make  Abatements  in  a  Law  fo  holy, 
juft  and  good,  that  only  requires  us  to  love  him  with  all  our 
Hearts  -,  which  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  is  fo  infinitely 
right  and  fuitable  ?  Or  upon  what  Grounds  can  we  poflibly 
defire  any  Abatements  to  be  made,  unlefs  we  e'en  profefs, 
that  we  do  not  like  the  Law,  that  we  are  averfe  to  loving 
God  with  all  our  Hearts,  that  it  is  a  very  tedious,  felf-de- 
nying  Thing  to  us,  and  what  we  can  by  no  Means  freely 
come  into  \  and  fo  upon  this  Foot  defire  fome  Abatements  ! 
Or  which  is  the  fame  Thing  -,  honeftly  own,  "  that  we 
*'  love  Sin  fo  dearly,  that  God  muft  tolerate  us  in  it,  or 
*'  we  cannot  approve  of  his  Government." 

But  indeed,  God  can  as  eafily  ceafe  to  be,  as  go  about  to 
licence  and  tolerate  the  leaft  Sin  :  And  he  had  rather  Hea- 
ven and  Earth  Jhould  pafs  away^  than  that  the  leaft  Jot  or 
kittle  of  his  Law  floould  faiL  Mat.  5.  i8. 

How  can  any  Body  therefore  once  imagine,  that  Chrift 
came  down  from  Heaven  and  died,  to  purchafe  this  Abate- 
ment of  the  Law  of  God,  and  procure  this  lawlefs  Liberty 
for  his  rebelliou:  Subjeds  !  What  !  Did  he  defert  his  Fa- 
ther's Intereft  and  Honour,  and  the  Honour  of  hisLaw  and 
Government,  and  fpill  his  precious  Blood,  that  he  might 
perfwade  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  to  flacken 
the  Reins  of  Government,  and  give  out  this  impious  Li- 
cence to  Iniquity } Surely  to  fuppofe  this,  is  to  make 

Chrift  a  Friend  to  Sin,  and  an  Enemy  to  God. 

What 


and  dijiinguifped  from  all  Counterfeits.  63 

What  then  do  they  mean,  who  in  their  Prayers  prefume 
to  thank  God  for  the  gracious  Abatements,  which  he  has 
made  in  his  Law  ?  And  what  do  Miniflers  mean  by  telhng 
their  People  from  the  Pulpit,  that  the  Law  is  abated,  and 
that/;2<:^r^0bedience  is  ALL  that  is  now  required  of  us? — • 
Indeed,  if  poor  fecure  Sinners  are  made  to  believe,  that  this 
was  the  great  Bufinefs  Chrift  came  into  the  World  upon, 
no  wonder  if  their  impious  Hearts  are  pleafed,  and  if  they 
feem  to  love  Chrift,  and  prize  the  Gofpel,  and  giveThanks 
to  God  for  this  great  Goodnefs  and  Condefcenfion  -,  for 
hereby  they  are  delivered  from  that  Stri6lnefs  in  Religion 
which  they  hate,  and  a  wide  Door  is  opened  for  them  to  fin 
without  Blame  :  Yea,  they  have  the  Comfort  to  think,that 
it  is  no  Sin,  not  to  love  God  with  all  their  Heart,  with  all 
their  Soul,  and  with  all  their  Strength.  And  generally  a 
very  little  Matter  of  Religion  they  think  will  ferve.  And 
now  it's  good  Times,  and  they  blefs  themfelves.  But 
alas  !  They  feed  upon  the  Wind  :  A  deceived  Heart  hath 
turned  them  afide. 

But  by  the  Way, —  To  what  Purpofe  was  it  for  Chrift 
to  die  to  purchafe  this  Abatement  ?  What  Need  was  there 
of  it  ?  Or  what  Good  could  it  do  ? —  For  if  the  Law  really 
required  too  ynuch^  the  Governourof  the  World  was  obliged 
in  Jufticc  to  make  fome  Abatements  :  And  fo  the  Death  of 
Chrift  in  the  Cafe  was  perfedly  Needlefs. —  And  if  theLaw 
required  but  juft  enough^  the  Governour  of  the  World  could 
not  in  Juftice  make  any  Abatements  :  And  fo  Chrift  muft 
have  died  in  vain^  and  totally  loft  his  End. 

But  indeed  Chrift  never  came  into  the  World  upon  this 
Defign  :  as  he  exprefly  declares  in  Mat.  5. 1 7, 1 8.  Think  noty 
that  I  am  come  to  defiroy  the  Law  or  the  Prophets  :  I  am  not 
come  to  defiroy^  hut  to  fulfil.  For  verily  I  fay  unto  yoUy  'till 
Heaven  and  Earth  pajs^  one  Jot  or  one  Tittle  fhall  in  no  wife 
pafsfror/i  the  Law^  'till  all  be  fulfilled.  And  this  is  the  very 
Thing  he  condemns  the  Pharifees  for  thro  all  this  Chapter, 
that  they  in  Effed  taught  this  Dodrine,  that  the  Law  was 
abated  ;  that  they  taught,  that  although  the  Law  did  forbid 
fome  external  and  more  grofs  Ads  of  Sin,yet  it  did  not  the 
iirft  ftirring  of  Corruption  atHeart,&  fome  lefTer  Iniquities. 
For  Inftance,  that  "  they  muft  not  commit  Murder  •,  but 

that 


64  True  Religmi  delineated        Dis.  I. 

"  that  it  was  no  Harm  to  be  angry  wiihout  Caufe,  and 
"  fpeak  reproachiiilly,  and  keep  a  lecret  Grudge  atHeart. 
"  (;^.  2 1 ; — 26.)  That  they  mult  not  commit  Adultery,  but 
"  that  it  was  no  Harm  to  have  lecret  laicivious  1  houghts. 
"  (i/,  27, — 30.)  That  they  mull  not  be  guilty  of  Perjury  ; 
*'  but  that  there  was  no  Harm  in  httj^  pettyOaths  incom- 
"  mon  Converfation.  (  i'.  o^o^^ — i^y,  )  Ihat  they  muft  not 
"  bate  their  Friends^  but  there  was  no  Harm  in  hating  their 
"  Enemies."  (^'.43, — 47.)  Thefeandfuch  hkeAllowance.^ 
they  taught,  were  made  in  the  Law  •,  and  fo,  that  fuch 
Things  were  not  finRil.  But  our  Saviour  condemns  their 
Dodrine,  as  falfe  and  damning  \  and  infills  upon  it,  thar 
the  Law  is  not  abated,  and  never  fhall  be  •,  but  fays,  it  llil! 
requires  us  to  he  perfcof,  as  our  heavenly  Father'  is  perfect, 
(/.48.)  And  declares,  that  if  our  FHighteoufnefs  er.ceedeth  not 
the  Right eoi{f:iefs  of  the  Scribes  and  Pkarifees  (  who  v:cre  fo 
much  for  abating  the  Law, )  we  floall  never  enter  into  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven.  (  f.io.)  So  far  was  our  blefiedSaviour 
from  any  Defign  to  abate  the  holy  Law  of  God,  or  leffen 

our  Obligations  to  a  perfed  Conformity  to  it. And 

indeed,  it  Chrill  had  died, and  iliould  die  aThoufandTimxs, 
to  purchafe  an  Abatement  of  the  Law,  ( if  it  be  lawfiil  to 
make  fuch  a  Suppofition )  it  would  be  to  no  Purpcfe  :  For 
it  cannot  be  abated,  unlefs  God  ceafes  to  be  what  he  is.  For 
fo  long  as  God  is  infinitely  lovely,  vvc  fiiall  neceffarily  be 
under  an  infinite  Obligation  to  love  him  with  all  ourHearr, 
and  with  all  our  Strength  •,  and  it  will  neceffarily  be  infi- 
nitely Wrong,  not  to  do  fo. The  Truth  is,  that  God's 

lending  his  Son  into  the  World  to  die  for  the  Redemption 
of  Sinners,  inilcad  of  freeing  us  from  our  original  natural 
Obligations  to  keep  the  Law,  binds  us  more  ftrongly  fo  to 
do  ;  as  we  fhall  afterwards  fee. — Pfal.i  19.160.  "Thy  Word 
is  true  from  the  Beginning :  A^id  every  one  of  thy  righteous 
Judgments  endurethfor  ever.,  {f.  128.)  I  efieem  all  thy  Precepts 
concerning  all  T^hings  to  he  Right,  (f.  144.J  The  Right eouf- 
nefs  of  thy  Tejlimonies  is  everlafliyig.  (f.  i^i.)  Thou  hafl 
founded  them  for  ever.  And  therefore  f  y-,  160.)  Every  one 
of  them,  will  endure  for  ever.  As  if  the  Pfalmifl  had  faid, 
"  The  Thing  required  in  thy  Law  is  in  it's  own  Nature 
"  Right,  everlaftingly  Right  •,  and  therefore, as  Governciir 

"  of 


and  diftinguipjedfro^n  all  Counterfeits.  6  5 

*'  of  the  World,  thou  haft  by  Law  for  ever  fettled  and  efta- 
.  *'  bliilied  it  as  Duty,  by  a  Law  never  to  be  altered,  but  to 
"  endure  for  ever :  and  for  ever  therefore  will  it  endure." 

Object.  But  is  it  fair  andjuft  forGod  to  require  more 
of  his  Creatures^  than  they  can  do  ? 

Answer.  What  are  we  come  to,  in  this  apoftate 
World,  that  we  can't  fee  it  to  be  juft  and  fair,  in  the 
great  Governour  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  the  infinitely  glo- 
rious God,  to  require  us  his  Creatures,  fo  much  as  to  love 
him,  with  all  our  Hearts  P  What !  Is  this  too  much  ?  Is 
this  more  than  he  deferves  from  us  ? —  Or  does  the  Truth 
he  here,  that  we  hate  him  fo,  that  we  cannot  find  in 
our  Hearts  to  love  him  •,  and  therefore  cry,  "  He  muft 
''  not  infift  upon  it,  or  if  he  does,  he  deals  unjuftly  and  is 
''  very  hard  with  us  ?" —  But  is  not  this  the  very  Thing 
thofe  Citizens  did,  who  hated  their  Prince,  and  fent  after 
him,  faying.  We  ivill  not  ha^ce  this  Man  to  reign  ever  us  ? 
Luk.  19.  14. —  Thefe  Hints  may  ferve  as  an  Anfwer  for 
the  prefent :  But  of  this  more  hereafter. 

But.  while  fome  are  pleading,  that  Chrift  died  to  purchafc 
anAbatement  of  the  hzw^others  carry  the  Point  ftill  further, 
and  fay  that  Chrift  died  entirdy  to  difannul  it  \  and  fo,that 
now  It  wholly  ceafcs  to  be  a  Rule  of  Life  to  Believers. 
When  as  one  great  and  declared  Defign  of  Chrift's  coming 
into  the  World  was,  to  recover  his  People  to  a  Conformity 
thereto.  (  Tit,  2. 11,  12, 13.)  —  Oh  how  Men  do  love 
their  Corruptions,  and  hate  God  and  his  holy  '  Law,  and 
long  to  have  it  cailiier'd  and  removed  out  of  the  World, 
that  fo  they  may  live  as  they  lift,  and  yet  efcape  the  Re  • 
.proaches  of  their  Confciences  here,  and  eternal  Punifhment 
hereafter  !^ — But  God  fitteth  King  for  ever^  and  will  aftert 
the  Rights  of  his  Crown,  and  maintain  the  Honour  of  his 
Majefty,  and  the  Glory  of  his  great  Name,  and  vindicate 
his  injured  Law  ;  altho'  it  be  in  the  eternal  Damnation  of 
Millions  of  his  rebellious  Subjeds.  Luk.  19.  27.  But  thcfc 
mine  Enemies^  which  would  not  that  Ifhould  reign  over  theni^ 
bring  hither,,  and  flay  them  before  me, —  And  here  by  the 
Way,  we  may  fee  what  an  averfion  Men  have  to  right 
Thoughts  of  God  and  divine  Things  •,  and  maybe  convin- 
ced of  the  abfolute  Neceflity  of  a  fupernatural  ail-conquer- 

F  ^  iricj 


66  V^rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

ing  Light,  to  remove  thefe  Prejudices,  and  make  Men  fee 
and  believe  the  Truth,  and  love  and  cordially  embrace  it. 
(  Job.  8.  47, —  I  Cor,  2.14. ) —  A  holy  God  does  not  ap- 
pear infinitely  glorious  and  amiable  to  an  unholy  Heart  : 
and  Sinners  not  feeing  the  Grounds  of  loving  God  with  all 
their  Hearts,  hence  do  not  fee  the  Reafon  of  the  Law  ; 
hen-ce  do  not  fee  how  holy^juft  and  good  the  Law  is,  and  the 
carnal  Mind  being  Emnity  againft  God^  is  at  the  fame  Time 
Enmity  againil  the  Law,  which  is  a  Tranfcript  of  the  di- 
vine Nature  (  Rem.  8.7.)  And  hence  Sinners  do  not  love 
to  believe  eitherGod  or  his  Law  to  be  what  they  really  are. 
And  this  Temper  makes  them  blind  to  what  the  Scripture 
fays,  and  leads  them  to  frame  a  falfe  Image  of  God,  arid 
entertain  falfe  Notions  of  his  Law,  that  they  may  have  a 
God  and  a  Laiv  both  to  their  own  Minds. 

And  now,  as  are  Men's  Notions  of  the  Law,  fuch  are 
their  Notions  of  Religion  •,  the  Ellence  of  which  principally 
confifts  in  a  Conformity  to  the  Law. 

Hence,  here  is  one,  he  pleads  for  great  Abatements  in  the 
Law,  and  he  contents  himfelf  with  the  mere  Form  ,of  Re- 
ligion. He  is  not  Unjuft,  nor  an  Extortioner,  nor  an  Adul- 
terer ;  but  much  better  than  fome  of  his  Neighbours  :  He 
prays  in  his  Family,  goes  to  publick  Worfhip,  and  attends 
the  Sacrament,  and  thinks  himfelf  a  very  good  Man  ;  like 
him  inL^^.  18.9,  10,  &c.  But  as  for  the  Doftrines  relating 
to  our  natural  Depravity,  Regeneration^  Ccnverjicn,  Faith^ 
Communion  with  God,  and  all  the  infide  of  Religion,  he  under- 
ftands  nothing  about  them  •,  they  feem  as  flrange  as  it  did 
to  Nicodemus  to  hear  Chrift,  difcourfe  about  the  New-Birth. 
(  Job.  3.  )  And  ail  the  Talk  about  the  inward  hfinences  of 
the  holy  Spirit,  in  awakening,  convincing,  humbling  and 
converting  a  Sinner,  and  in  enlightening,  teaching,  quick- 
ning,  comforting  and  fandlifying  a  Believer,  is  quite  unin- 
telligible :  for  thefe  Things  don't  come  into  his  Notions  of 
Religion. — According  to  his  Opinion,  the  Law  is  brought 
down  fo  low,  that  it  is  an  eafy  Thing  to  become  a  good 
Man  :  the  Change  is  but  fmall,  and  there  is  fcarce  any 
Need  of  the  Spirit's  Help  •,  much  lefs  any  Room  for  the 
Exercife  of  Sovereign  Grace  •,  for  he  is  fo  good-natured, 
that  he  can  become  Good  of  his  own  free  Will,  (i.  e.  accord- 
ing 


mtd  dijlinguijhed from  all  Cotmt erf eits.  67 

iiio;  to  his  Notions  of  Goodnefs,)  and  do  that  which  fliall 
elS'ftually  intitle  him  to  the  Promifes  :  And  thus  he  ha$ 
the  Staff  in  his  own  Hand.  i\nd  now  here  is  a  charming 
Religion,  perfedly  fuited  to  theTafte  of  an  apoftate  World  5 
for  it's  calculated  to  quiet  the  Conlcience,  while  the  Heart 
lies  out  eflranged  from  God  and  dead  in  Sin.  {Rom,  7.  8,9.) 
Efpecially,  fo  much  of  it,  as  is  for  their  Credit  and  appa- 
rently ferves  their  worldly  Intereft,  will  pretty  readily  and 
heartily  be  fallen  in  with  ♦,  and  the  heft  have  their  Failings^ 
no  Man  is  perfect ^  and  I  endeavour  to  hejincere^  and  the  heft 
have  their  Douhts^  Afturance  is  not  to  he  attained^  and  fuch 
hke  Pleas  help  to  keep  their  Confciences  fecure.  And  now, 
O  how  they  love  thofe  Minifters,  that  cry,  Teace^  Peace  f 
But  hate  thofe  that  would  fearch  Things  to  the  Bottom,  and 
found  anAiarm  to  fecureSinnerSjand  deluded  Hypocrites. — 
The  farr.cTemper  that  makes  them  hate  God  and  his  Taw, 
makes  them  hate  his  Minifters  too.  And  they  are  for 
another  Kind  of  a  God,  &  for  another  Kind  of  a  Law,  ano- 
ther Kind  of  a  Religion,  and  another  Kind  of  Minifters, 
that  they  may  have  all  to  their  Mind.  And  when  all  is 
done,  they  are  confident  they  are  now  in  the  Right,  becaufe 
they  are  fuited.  They  love  to  have  it  fo  ^  and  therefore 
firmly  helieve  it  is  fo.  . 

Hence,  again,  here  is  another^  who  has  been  mightily 
terrified  and  in  great  Diflrefs  under  a  Senfe  of  the  Wrath 
of  God  and  the  Dreadfulnefs  of  Damnation  j  but  in  the 
diflrefTmg  Hour  he  has  had  it  revealed  to  him  (by  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  bethinks)  that  his  Sins  are  forgiven  ;  and  now 
he  is  Jure  of  Heaven,  and  is  ravifhed  at  the  Ihoughts  of 
eternal  Glory :  he  holds  it  a  great  Sin  to  dcuht ;  and  all 
his  Religion  confifls  in  Faith  and  Joy,  i.  e.  in  believing 
that  his  Sins  are  forgiven,  and  rejoycing  in  his  bleHed  and 
happy  and  fafe  Eflate,  and  in  the  Expeflation  of  future 
Glory. —  But  as  for  a  real  Conformity  to  the  Lavj^  it  makes 
up  no  Part  of  his  Religion.  He  underilands  rightly  no- 
thing what  the  Law  requires  •,  he  is  neither  fenfibie  of  his 
Duty  to  God,  or  to  his  Fellow-Men  :  Yea,  he  hates  to  hear 
any  Thing  about  Law,  or  Duty, —  It  is  rii  Legal,  he  cries, 
and  tends  to  kill  Religion^  and  to  wound  weak  Chriftiar.s,  and 
grieve  and  drive  away  the  Spirit,  cf  Grace :  and  no  pie  aching 

F  2  fu..s 


68  True  Religmt  delineated         Dis.  I. 

fuits  his  Tafle,  but  what  confifls  in  telling  over  and  com- 
mending iuch  Experiences  as  his,  and  in  fetang  forth  the 
Love  ot  God  and  ChrifV  to  fuch,  and  caUing  upon  fuch  to 
believe,  and  rejoyce,  and  never  doubt  their  State  again. 
And  iri  general  thofe  Things  which  tend  to  ftrengthen  his 
Conlidence  and  increc!*:  his  Joy,  he  efteems  right  and  good  •, 
and  all  Things  of  a  contrary  1  endency  he  efteems  wix)ng 
iind  bad.  This  fcems  to  be  his  only  Criterion  otRight  and 
Wrong,  and  the  only  Rule  he  makesUfe  of  in  drawing  up 
a  Judgment  :  But  as  for  the  Law^  it  is  of  noUfe  with  him. 
— There  is  doubtiefs  many  a  Man  that  feels  and  aCls  and 
lives,  as  if  the  Law  was  abated,  who  yet  will  not  plead  for 
that  Dodlrine. —  So  doubtiefs  there  is  many  a  Man  that 
feels  and  a6ls  and  lives,  as  if  the  Law  wholly  ceafed  to  be 
a  Rule  of  Life,  v/ho  yet  will  not  venture  to  fay  fo.  The 
Force  of  Education  and  their  worldly  Intereft  and  Credit 
keeps  Men  many  Times  from  fhewing  what  they  be,  by 
an  open  ProfeiTion.  However,  fecretly  this  Temper  reigns 
within  them  \  yea,  fometimes  it  breaks  out  into  openLight, 
in  their  villbie  Condaft. —  But,  as  ftrange  as  it  may  feem, 
there  are  Multitudes  that  not  only  have  the  Root  of  thefe 
Things  in  their  Hearts,  but  really  believe  them  and  openly 
profefs  and  plead  for  them.  Hence  it  is  on  the  one  Hand, 
that  the  Armiman^  Neonoraian^  and  Pelagimn  Errors  have 
taken  their  Rife;,  and  the  Avtinomian^  on  the  other.  Wrong 
Notions  of  God  lie  at  the  Bottom  •,  and  then  wrong  Noti- 
ons of  the  Law  •,  and  then  wrong  Notions  of  Religion  in 
general  :  and  all  originally  proceed  and  grow  up  out  oi  the 
wrong  Temper  of  Men's  Minds.  For  all  unregenerate  Men 
would  fain  have  a  Gdd  and  a  Law  and  a  Religion  to  fuit  the 
Temper  of  their  Hearts.  Micah  4.  5.  For  a.l  People  will 
walk  every  one  in  the  Name  of  his  God. 

In  the  meanTime,the  truly  godlyMan,  who  fees  that  the 
Obligation.,  which  he  is  under  to  love  God  v/ith  all  his  Heart, 
refulting  from  the  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature,  is  un- 
changeable ;  and  that  the  Law^  which  requires  this,  is  un- 
alterable  \  inilead  of  going  about  to  contrive  a  Religion  that 
may  fuit  the  natural  Temper  of  his  Heart,  is  convinced  that 
the  Temper  of  his  Heart  is  the  very  Thing  that  muft  be 
changed. — He  is  convinced  of  his  infinite  Obligation  to  be 

altogether 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    6(^ 

altogether  fuch  as  the  Law  requires  him  to  be,  and  that  he 
is  infinitely  blameable  for  the  leaft  Defed. —  Hence,  thofc 
WordSjT'y^e  Law  is  hcly.jufty  and  g^od^  the  Law  isfpiritual'i 
hut  I  am  carnal^  fold  u?ider  Sin.  O  wretched  Man  that  I  am! 
do  exadly  exprefs  the  Thoughts  of  the  moft  exalted  Saint 
on  Earth,  yea,  €ven  of  the  great  Saint  Paul  himfelf,  Rom. 
7.  12,14/24. —  Indeed,  had  St.  Paul  thought  that  the' 
Law  was  wholly  difannulled,  or  much  abated,  he  might 
then  have  imagined  that  he  was  fo  good,  as  to  be  quite  free 
from  Sin,  or  pretty  near  being  fo,  and  been  ready  to  fpeak- 
the  Language  of  the  Pharifee  •,  God^  1  thank  thee^  I  am  not- 
as  other  Men.  But  now,  notwithftanding  all  his  high  and 
wonderful  Attainments,  yet,  when heconfidered  what  the 
Law  was,  which  he  was  under,  and  how  very  far  he  was 
from  being  exadly  w^hatthat  required,  the  native  Language 
of  his  humbleHeart  is,  I  am  carnal^  [old  under  Sin  I  0  wretch- 
ed Man  that  I  am  !  *  —  And  now  the  Apoflle,  from  a 
Senfe  of  his  infinite  Obligations  to  be  what  the  Law  re- 
quires, and  of  his  greatDiflance  from  this,  forgets  the'Things 
which  are  behind  -,  and  he  runs^  he  wrejfles,  he  fights,  he 
§irives^  he  keep  under  his  Body.,  he  lays  afide  every  Weight ; 
in  {hort,  he  appears  like  aMan  in  a  perteclAgony  :  So  great 

was  his  Senfe  of  Duty.,  and  fo  much  had  he  to  do. ^ And  at 

the  fame  Time,  from  a  Senfe  of  his  Impotency  and  of  his 
Unworthinefs,  of  his  Need  of  the  Redeemer  and  the  Sanc- 
tifier,  it  is  his  Maxim,  to  pray  always.,  and  to  afk  all  Things' 

in  the  Name  of  Chrift. Now  in  his  Example  we  have 

the  Temper,  which  prevails  more  or  lefs  in  every  godly 

Man,  exadlly  painted. And  thus  we  have  had  pictured 

in  Miniature  three  different  Sorts  of  Relig'on,  arifing  from 
three  different  Notions  of  the  Law.  The  Pi^ure  is  begun; 
and  in  the  fequel,  I  purpofe  to  paint  all  three,  as  near  to  the 
Life  as  I  can  ;  that  we  may  fee  what  they  be,  and  wherein 

F  3  they 

*  0 -^in*  have  thought,  that  St.  /'<?/^/had  arrived  fo  nigh  to  Pcrfeaion^hr: 
.  he  could  not  fpeat  thefe  Words  of  himfelf.  The.r  Mid  e  feems  to 
arife  from  their  wrong  Notions  of  the  Lanv,  to  which  St.  Paul  con) - 
pared  himfelf,  and  according  to  which  he  drew  up  his  Judgment.  And, 
from  the  fame  Source  it  feems  to  be,  that  they  can  think  thofe  Wor.d%. 
fver.  22.  applicable  jto  the  Unregenerate.  I ^t light  in  the  tafw  cf  ^Jjd 
.£ifter  the  inrjjcrd  Man,  When  in  Truth  the  Unregenerat?  are  in  l:k;:>f 
Xemper^  diametrically  oppofite  to  the  Icm,  Rojtn.  8.  7, 


70  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

they  differ  ;  which  is  Right,  and  which  is  Wrong.^    But  fo 
much  for  the  firft  Inference,  that  the  Lav:  as  2.  Ride  ofLuty^ 
cannot  be  repealed  or  abated. 
And  now  to  proceed, 

2.  From  what  h  is  been  faid  it  is  evident,  that  the  Lazv  in 
its  nreatnings  of  eternalDamnation  for  the  leafi  Sin^  is  equally 
iincapabk  cf  any  Repeal  or  Abatement, —  For  if  our  Obliga- 
tion,to  love  God  with  all  ourHearts  and  obey  him  in  every 
Thing,refulting  from  the  divine  Perfedlions,  is  infinite,eter- 
nal,  and  unchangeable  ;  and  if  therefore  the  leafl:  Sin  necef- 
farily  be  infinitelyEvil,  and  deferving  of  an  infinite  Punifh- 
ment,  and  unalterably  fo  •,  then  theLaw  confidered  as  threat- 
ning  eternal  Damnation  for  the  leaft  Sin,  is  in  its  ov/n  Na- 
ture unalterably  holy  and  juft  :  And  confequently  it  cannot 
be  repealed,  confiftcntly  with  thellolinefs,  Juftice,  andHo- 
nour  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World.  If  theGover- 
nour  of  the  World  had,  in  a  mere  arbitrary  Manner^  made  a 
Law,  that  Sin  Ihouldbe  puniihed  with  eternal  Damnation; 
then  he  might,  in  2imere  arbitrary  Manner^  have  repealed  it  : 
But  fince,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  Juftice  called  for  //,that 
fuch  a  Lav/  fhould  be  made,  therefore  fo  long  as  theGrounds 
and  Reafons  of  the  Law  remain,  the  Law  canni^t,  mjufticey 
be  repealed. 

None  can  deny,  but  that  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World  has  afluaily  made  a  Law,  that  Sin  Ihall  be  punifh- 
cd  with  eternal  Damnation  :  And  none  can  deny,  but  that 
this  Law  is  to  be  put  in  Execution,  to  the  full,  at  and  af- 
ter the  great  Judgment-Day.  But  if  Juftice  had  not  called 
for  ity  furely  the  infinitely  good  Governour  of  the  World 
would  never  have  made  fuch  a  Law  ;  much  lefs  would  he 
ever  put  it  in  Execution.  For  to  make  and  execute  fuch  a 
Law,  in  a  merely  arbitrary  fovereign  Maimer,  when  in  the. 
Nature  of  Things  Jvfiice  does  not  call  for  it,  would  be  infi- 
nitely cruel  and  tyrannical,  and  perfedly  inconfiftent  with 
the  divine  Fetfedions  j  as  is  felf-evident.  See  Gen,  18.  25. 
'<!iVi^E%ek.  18.  25. 

But  then,  if  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  made  this 
Law  not  arbitrarily^  but  becaufe  in  the  Nature  of  Things 
juftice  called  for  it  -,  then  fo  long  as  the  Rcafon  andGround 
pf  the  Law  remains,  the  Law  it  felf  cannot  in  Juftice  ever 

be 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  7 1 

be  repealed.  If  Juftice  called  for  its  being  made,  then  it 
cannot  be  iin-made  confiftently  with  Juftice,  fo  long  as  the 

Ground  and  Reafon  of  it  remains  •,  as  is  felf-evident. 

But  the  Reafon  of  the  Law  is,  in  the  Nature  of  Things, 
unalterable.  For  the  Reafon  of  the  Law  was  the  infinite 
E'vil  of  Sifiy  whereby  it  deferved  an  infinite  Punifhment.  As 
Long  therefore  as  Sin  remains  an  infinite  Evil,  fo  long  muft 
the  Law  ftand  unrepealed  :  But  Sin  will  always  be  an  infi- 
nite Evil,  fo  long  as  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to 
love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing  i 
which  we  fhali  always  be,  fo  long  as  God  remains  infinitely 
glorious  and  amiable,  and  this  will  be  for  ever.  Therefore 
this  Law  can  never  polTibly,  confiftent  with  divine  Juftice^ 
be  repealed. 

For  any,  therefore,  to  defire  to  have  it  repealed,  is  to  turn 
Enemy  to  the  Holinefs  and  Juftice  and  Honour  of  the  fu- 
preme  Ruler  of  the  World,  as  well  as  to  his  Law  and  Go- 
vernment :  And  argues,  that  they  have  no  Regard  to  the 
Reditude  and  Fitnefs  of  Things,  but  only  to  Self-Intereft : 
as  thofe  among  Men  are  real  Enemies  to  the  civil  Govern- 
ment, who  defire  the  good  and  wholefome  Laws  thereof  to 
be  repealed.  And  it  is  upon  this  Ground,  that  St.  Paul 
concludes  carnal  Men  to  be  at  Enmity  againfi  GOD,  becaufe 
they  are  Enemies  to  his  Law.  (Rom.  8.7.)  For  if  Men 
loved  God,  they  would  be  difpofed  to  love  his  Law  and 
Government,  which  exprefs  his  Nature. 

To  fuppofe  therefore,  that  the  Son  of  God  came  into  the 
World  and  died,  that  the  Law  in  its  'Threatnings  might  be 
repealed^  is  to  fuppofe  that  he  alio  is  turned  an  Enemy  to 
God,  to  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  to  his  Law  &  Govern- 
ment ;  and  that  he  is  properly  gone  over  to  be  on  the  Side 
of  his  Father's  rebellious  Subjeds. 

Befides,  to  what  Purpofe  would  it  have  been  (  on  the 
Hypothelis  of  thefe  Men)  for  Chrift  to  have  died,  that  the 
Law  in  its  Threatnings  might  be  repealed  ?  What  Need 
was  there  of  it  ?  or  what  Good  would  it  have  done  ?  For  if 
in  Juftice  it,  ought  to  have  been  repealed,  there  was  no 
Need  of  his  dying  to  procure  this  :  Or,  if  in  Juftice  it 
ought  not  to  be  repealed,  then  his  dying  could  not  procure 
it,  and  fo  would  do  no  Good.     The  righteous  Governour 

F  4  <^^ 


72  T^rua  Religion  delineated         Dis  I. 

of  the  World  would  have  repealed  it  of  his  own  Accord, 
if  it  had  been  right  and  fit  fo  to  do  :  and  if  in  the  Nature 
of  Things  it  was  not  right,  then  not  any  Thing  whatever 
could  perfwade  him  to  do  it. 

But  the  Truth  is,  Chriil  came  into  the  World  and  died 
to  pjifwer  all  theDemands  ofthcLaw  •,  that  fo  altho*  theSinner 
be  Taved,  yet  the  Law  might  never  be  repealed,  but  be- 
firmly  eftablifhed.  For  the  Governour  of  Heaven  &  Earth 
v/as  utterly  againft  the  Law's  being  repealed,  as  a  Thing 
in  itfelf  intinitely  unreasonable.  And  therefore  theApoflle 
fays,  Do  we  make  void  the  Law  thro'  Faith  ?  God  forbid  ! 
2'A?,  we  ejlablijh  the  Law.  (Rom.  3.  31.)  And  indeed  it 
was  notjiing  but  God's  infinite  Averfion  to  repeal  the  Law, 
as  aThinginir  felf  infinitely  unfit  &:v/rong,  that  v/as  theThing 
which  made  the  Death  of  Chriil  needful.  For,  if  the  Law 
rnight  have  been  repealed,  Sinners  might  have  been  faved 
v;ithout  any  more  ado  :  but  if  it  could  not,  and  mufl  not 
be  repealed,  then  the  Demands  of  it  muft  be  anfwered  by 
fome  Means  or  other,  or  every  Sinner  damned.  And  now 
Chriil  ilep'd  in  and  did  this  ;  and  fo  lecured  the  Honour 
of  God's  Holinefs  &  Juftice,  Law  and  Government,  and 
opened  a  Way  for  the  Sinner's  Salvation.  And  this  Ac- 
count of  the  Reafon  of  Chriil's  Death  the  Scriptures  plainly 
give  us.  Gal.  3.  10,  13,  14.  Cur  fed  is  every  one  that  conti- 
imeth  not  in  all  Things  written  in  the  Book  of  the  Law  to  do 
them, — Chrifi  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  Curfe  of  the  Law^ 
being  made  a  Curfe  for  us. —  nat  the  Bleffing  of  Abraham 
might  come  on  the  Gentiles  thro'  Jefus  Chrifi.  For  (Heb. 
9.  22.)  without  fJoedding  of  Blood  there  is  no  Remiffon. 
Therefore  [Rom.  3.  25,26.)  Chriil  was  fet  forth  to  be  a 
Propitiation  for  Sin^  —  to  declare  his  Right  eoufnefs^ —  that  he 
might  bejufl^  and  the  Juftifler  of  him  which  belicveth  in  Jefus. 
And  hence  \f.  31.)  Do  we  make  void  the  Law  thro*  Faith? 
C^d  forbid  I  Tea.,  we  efiablifh  the  Law. 
'^  Yea,  theApoflle  evidently  fets  out  upon  thisHypothefis,* 
that  the  Law  is  not  repealed,  but  (lands  in  full  Force.  He 
lays  this  down  as  a  Jirfi  Principle^  in  that  argumentative 
Difcourfe  which  we  have  in  the  three  firfl  Chapters  of  his 
Fpifclcto  x\\^.  Remans.  Chap,  i.^  18.  The  Wrath  of  God 
is } n -ea led  frcmHeaven a ?;ciinfi  a llUngodlinefs  ^U might eoafneft 

of 


and  dijlinguiped  from  all  Cotmterfeits.   7  3 

cf  Men.  And  taking  this  for  granted,  he  goes  on  to  prove, 
that  both  Jews  and  Greeks  are  all  under  Sin,  and  fo  the  whole 
JP"orld  guilty  before  God  ;  to  the  19th  wr.  of  the  3d 
Chap.  And  hence  he  argues,  that  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law 
no  Flefh  could  bejuftified.  But  now,  it  the  Law  was  repealed, 
the  whole  World  was  not  Guilty  before  God,  nor  any  on^ 
in  the  World  :  For  Sin  is  not  imputed,  ivhere  there  is  no  Law. 
(  Rom.  5.  is)—  -^i"^^  i^"  ^"^^  ^^"^  ^^^^^^  repealed,  whatNeed 
was  there  of  fuch  a  longTrain  cf  Arguments,  to  prove,  that 
no  Flefh  could  be  iuftitied  by  the  Law  ?  For  it  v/ouid  have 
been  enough  to  have  faid,that  a  repealed  Law  could  neither 
juilify  nor  condemn  any  Body. — And  why  does  he  ufe  fuch 
Arguments  as  he  does  ?  For  thus  he  reafons,  "  TheLaw 
"  requires  perfeftObedience  as  aCondition  of  Life,&  threat- 
*'  ens  Tribulation  and  Wrath  againft  every  Soul  of  Man 
"  that  doth  Evil  :  But  Je-zvs  and  Gentiles  have  all  finned  : 
"  Therefore  are  all  guilty  &  condemned  according  toLaw ; 
"  and  confequently  cannot  be  cleared  and  juftificd  byLaw." 
For  all  thisReafoning  fuppofes,  that  the  Law  is  as  much  in 
Force  as  ever  it  was.  And  accordingly  he  goes  on  to  ihew, 
that  the  Defign  of  Chrift's  Death  was  to  anfwer  the  De- 
mands of  the  Law,  that  there  m.ight  be  a  Way  opened  for 
the  Salvation  of  Sinners,  confident  with  divine  Juftice,  and 
at  the  fame  Time  the  Law  not  be  made  void,  but  eflablifh- 
ed  'y     As  was  before  obferved. 

And  now  this  being  the  Cafe, 
Hence,  we  find  the  Scriptures  every  where  look  upon 
thofe  that  have  not  a  fpecial  Intereft  in  theRighteoufnefs  of 
Chrift  by  Faith,  as  being  as  much  under  the  Wrath  of  God 
andCurfe  of  theLaw,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died.  J  oh.  3.18. 
He  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  f  ^6.  i'he  Wrath 
cf  God  abide th  upon  him.  And,  Gal  3.  10.  As  many  as  are 
cf  theWorks  cf  theLaw  are  under  theCurfe.  And,  Rom.  i .  1 8. 
i'he  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  Heaven,  againft  allUngod- 
linefs  andUnrighteoufnefs  of  Men.  who  hold  the  Truth  inUn- 
righteoufnefs. —  Thus  the  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  againft 
theUnbeliever  ;  yea,  abides  upon  him  ;  yea,  the  Law  con- 
demns and  curfes  him.  But  if  the  Law  had  been  repealed 
by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  all  the  World  would  have  been 
freed  from  the  Curfe.     For  a  repealed  Law,    can  neither 

blefs 


74  "Frue  Religio7z  delineated         Dis.  L 

bkfs  the  rightecfus,  nor  curfe  the  wicked;  but  flands  for 
nothing. 

And  hence  airo,we  find  thatChriftlefsSinners,when  awak- 
ened by  theHolySpirit  to  fee  and  feel  what  a  State  they  are 
in,  are  always  convinced  that  they  are  under  the  Wrath  of 
God  and  Curfe  of  the  Law  ;  and  hereby  are  made  to  un- 
derftand  their  Need  of  a  Saviour.  (  Rom.  3.19,  20.)  But 
if  the  Law  had  been  repealed  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  this 
could  not  be  •,  for  they  would  then  have  been  under  no 
Wrath,  nor  Curfe.  Nor  would  any  have  ever  felt  a  ^irtt  of 
Bondage^  as  they  do  in  every  Age  of  theWorld,and  as  they 
ufed  to  do  in  St.  VauV%  Day.  (  Rem.  8.  15. )  For  it  is  the 
'Law  only,  that  works  Wrath.  Rom.  4.  15. 

And  hence  we  fliall  find,  even  all  the  World  fhall  find, 
and  Thoufands  and  Thoufands  to  their  everlafting  Sorrow, 
that  when  the  Day  of  Judgment  comes,  the  Law  fhall  be 
executed  with  the  utmoii:  Severity,  upon  all  that  know  not 
Gcd^  and  obey  not  the  Gofpel  of  JefusChrifi.  (2.  'Theff.  i .7, 8.) 
And  God's  Juflice  in  fo  doing  will  fhine  bright  in  the  Sight 
of  all  Worlds  :  For  he  defigns  on  that  Day  to  reveal  the 
Righteoufnefs  of  his  Judgments.  And  hence  it  is  called, 
the  Day  of  the  Revelation  of  the  righteous  Judgment  of  Gcd. 
(Rom.  2.  5. J  But  if  the  Law  is  repealed  by  the  Death  of 
Chrift,  and  if  God  has  told  the  World  that  he  has  repealed 
it  •,  for  him  now  to  revive  it,  &  judge  &  condemn  theWorld 
by  it  •,  would  be  to  caftContempt  upon  theDeath  of  Chrift, 
and  deceive  his  poor  Creatures,  and  unmercifully  and  un- 
righteoufly  judge  and  condemn  them,  by  a  Law  that  was 
repealed,  a  Law  they  never  were  under,  and  fo  ought  never 
to  have  been  judged  by.  From  the  whole  therefore,  it  is 
evident  that  the  Law,  that  direatens  eternal  Damnation  for 
the  leaft  Sin,  never  has  been,  nor  ever  will  be  repealed. 

Well  then  ( if  this  be  the  Cafe  )  may  Minifters  thunder 
Hell  and  Damnation  againft  a  fccure,  wicked  World.  And 
well  may  poor  Sinners  tremble  under  a  Senfe  of  divine 
Wrath,  when  their  Eyes  begin  to  be  opened  to  fee  where 
they  be.  For  all  thofe  Comforts  that  the  Formalift  gets  by 
thinking  the  Law  is  abated  or  difannulled,  and  fo  his  State 
fafe,  are  but  the  Refult  of  an  erroneous  Head  and  a  Heart 
ftcure  in  Sin.     And  what  has  been  faid  undtr  this  Particu-r 

lap 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  75 

lar,  will  rationally  account  for  all  the  Agony  and  Diftrefs 
of  an  awakenedSinner. —  When  God,  the  greatGovernour 
of  the  World,  the  Revenger  of  Sin,  begins  to  make  the  poor 
Sinner  remember  his  Ways  and  his  Doings  which  have  not 
been  right,  and  fee  what  a  Creature  he  is,  and  what  a  Con- 
dition he  is  in,  and  be  fenfible  of  what  he  deferves  ;  and 
when  he  comes  to  underftand  that  his  Soul  is  forfeited,  and 
that  it  is  right  that  Juftice  Ihould  take  Place,  and  that  God 
is  at  Liberty  to  do  as  he  pleafes  :  Surely  this  mull  beHeart- 
rending,  Soul-diftrefling  to  a  poor,  finful,  guilty,  Hell-de- 
ferving  Creature. 

And  if  God  will  not  repeal  the  Law,  but  ftill  infift  upon 
it,  ihat  it  is  holy  and  juft ;  no  wonder  the  Sinner  is  made 
to  own  it  too,  before  ever  he  is  pardoned.  For  it  would  be 
unbecoming  the  fupreme  Lord  of  the  Univerfe,  to  grant  a 
Pardon  to  a  guilty  Rebel,  that  is  too  high-hearted  to  own, 
that  the  Law  by  which  he  ftands  condemned,  is  holy  and 
juft. —  O  how  right  it  is,  that  the  Sinner  fhould  come 
down,  and  fee  and  know  and  own  for  ever,  that  he  is  juiliy 
condemned,  and  as  fuch  apply  himfelf  to  the  Sovereign 
Grace  of  God  thro'  JefusChrift  for  a  Pardon  !  And  O  how 
fovereign  and  free  and  divine, is  thatGrace,that  pardons  and 
faves  the  poor,  finful,  guilty,  Hell-deferving  Wretch  thro' 
Jefus  Chrift  1  {Ro?n.  3.  19,  27. ) — And  thus  as  God  the 
Father  honours  the  Law,  by  refufing  to  repeal  it  ^  and  God 
the  Son,  by  anfwering  it's  Demands  •,  fo  does  God  the  Holy 
Ghoft,  by  making  the  poor  Sinner,  fee  and  feel  and  own, 
that  it  is  holy  and  juft,  before  ever  he  internally  reveals  the 
Mercy  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  unto  him.  So  that  the 
Law  is  ftdnoured,  and  Sin  is  imbittered,  and  the  Sinner  hum- 
bled, and  Grace  glorified,  all  at  once. —  As  in  the  external 
Revelation  God  has  made  in  his  Word,  the  Law  is  before 
the  Gofpcl  •,  fo  it  is  in  internal  Influences  andOperations  of 
the  holySpirit  upon  theEled: ;  and  that  for  the  fameReafon, 
that  the'Law  might  be  a  School-Mafter^  to  hringMen  toChrifi, 

To  conclude,  from  all  that  has  been  faid,  we  may  learn 
v/hat  to  think  of  the  Religion  and  of  theHopes  of  thefe  two 
Sorts  of  Men. —  (  i. )  Xhe  legal  Hypocrite  :  who  fuppofing, 
that  the  good  old  Law  is  repealed  and  laid  afide,  and  that  a 
new  Law^  only  requiring/»^^^  Obedience^  is  eftablilhed  in 

its 


^6  True  Religmi  delmeated        Dis.  I. 

its  Room  ;  hence  meerly  from  Self-love,  and  for  Self-ends, 
fets  about  Duty  and  endeavours  to  be  fincere  ;  and  here 
on  this  Foundation  builds  all  his  Hopes  of  Acceptance 
in  the  Sight  of  God.  For  fmce  the  Law  is  not  repealed, 
but  Hands  in  full  Force  ;  tlierefore  the  Religion  of  fuch,  is 
not  that  'Thing  which  God  requires  or  will  accept  •,  and  their 
new  Law  is  a  Whim^  and  their  Hopes  are  all  built  on  the 
Sand.  Their  whole  Scheme  refults  from  a  total  Ignorance 
of  God,  and  his  Law,  and  the  prefent  State  of  Mankind  ; 
and  is  entirely  built  on  Falfehood. —  (  2.  )  The  Evangelical 
Hypocrite :  All  whofe  Faith  &  Joy  originally  refult  from  a 
fuppofed  Difcovery,  of  the  Love  of  God,  or  Love  of  Chrift, 
or  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned.  This  Difcovery  is  the  Foun- 
dation of  hisFaith,  and  hisFaith  is  theFoundation  of  his  Joy 
and  of  all  his  Religion.  And  yet  the  Thing  difcovered  is 
a  Lie.  For,  as  has  been  proved,  every  one  until  he  is  a 
Believer,  until  he  has  adted  Faith,  is  not  pardoned,  but  con- 
demned ',  is  not  beloved  of  God,  but  under  his  Wrath  ;  and 
therefore  to  have  Pardon  of  Sin  and  the  Love  of  God  dif- 
covered before  the  firft  ad:  of  Faith,  and  to  have  fuch  a  Dif- 
covery lay  the  Foundation  for  the  firft  a6t  of  Faith,  and  a 
Foundation  for  all  Religion,  is  to  be  impofed  upon  with  a 
Lie,  and  to  have  a  grofs  Falfehood  lie  at  the  Foundation 
of  their  Faith,  their  Religion  and  of  all  their  Hopes. —  The 
legal  Hypocrite  may  be  convinced  by  fuchScriptures  as  thefe, 
Luk.  18.  9 — 13.  Rom.  3.  20 — 3 1 .  and  Chap.  4,  /.  5.  Which 
prove  that  a  Man  cannot  find  Acceptance  with  God  by  his 

own  Righteoufnefs. And  the  evangelical  HyipocntG.  may 

be  convinced  by  fuch  Scriptures  as  thefe,  Joh.  3.  18,  2^- 
A^.  3.  19.  Which  prove  that  a  Sinner  is  not  pardoned 
till  after  Faith. —  A  true  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  Law,  would 
effedually  convince  the  one,  and  the  other,  that  all  their 
Hopes  are  built  on  wrong  Apprehenfions  of  Things  ;  and 
that  all  their  Religion  is  Counterfeit  •,  and  that  they  are  yet 
in  the  Gall  of  Bitternefs  and  Bonds  of  Iniquity  :  And  the 
one  would  no  longer  venture  his  Soul  on  his  own  Righteouf- 
nefs., nor  the  other  on  his  Difcovery.  The  Law's  infifting 
upon  perfed,  fmlefs  Obedience,  would  convince  the  one, 
that  his  own  Righteoufnefs  might  not  be  depended  upon  ; 
and  the  Law's  curfxng  every  Unbeliever^  would  convince 

tha 


and  dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   7  7 

the  other,  that  hisDifcovery  was  falfe.  And  the  Lav/'s  re- 
quiring US  to  loveGod  primarily  for  his  own  Beauty,  would 
convince  both  of  their  gracelefs  Eilates,  in  as  much  as  the 
Rehgion  of  both  primarily  takes  its  Rife  from  Self-love. — 
It  is  from  the  want  of  a  realizing  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the 
Nature  and  Extent  of  the  Law,  and  that  out  of  Chrifl  we 
are  expofed  to  all  the  Curfes  thereof,  that  a  finful,  guilty 
World  are  fo  infenfible  of  their  gracelefs,  and  their  wretched 
and  miferable  Condition,  and  fo  apt  to  flatter  themfeives 
that  they  are  rich,  and  increafed  in  Goods,and  ftand  in  Need 
of  Nothing.  Rom.  7.  8,9.  Without  the  Law  ^in  was  dead. — 
/  was  alive  without  the  Law  once. 

Thus  we  fee  that  the  Obligation  which  we  were  under,  to 
love  God  with  all  our  Hearts,  refulting  from  the  infinite  Ex- 
cellency of  the  divine  Nature.,  antecedent  to  all  felfifli  Conli- 
dcrations,  is  infinitely.,  eternally  and  unchangeably  binding. 
And  thus  we  fee  a  Variety  of  important  Confequences 
neceiTarily  following  therefrom.  And  I  have  infilled  the 
longer  upon  the  Nature  of  thisObligation,  not  only  becaufe 
it  is  the  firfl  and  greateft  ;  but  becaufe  it  has  a  mighty  In- 
fluence into  all  our  additional  Obligations. —  For, 

5.  and  lafl:ly.  It' is  from  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine 
Nature.,  that  all  our  additional  Obligations  originally  derive 
their  Strength.,  their  Energy.,  their  binding  Power.  The  infi- 
nite Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  fo  entirely  lays  the 
Foundation  of  it's  being  our  Duty  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,that  were  it  not  for  this,it  would  ceafe  to  be  ourDuty, 
notwithilanding  all  other  Confiderations.  If  he  were  not 
by  Nature  God,  it  would  not  be  fit,  that  we  fhould  love 
and  worfhip  him  as  God,  upon  any  Account  whatfoever. 
He  could  have  no  fuch  Right  to  us  ;  or  Authority  over  us, 
as  to  make  it  our  Duty  \  nor  could  he  render  it  our 
Duty  by  fhewing  of  us  any  Kindnefs  whatfoever.  Yea,  if 
he  were  not  by  Nature  God,  it  would  be  wrong  for  us  to 
pay  him  divine  Adoration.  It  would  be  Idolatry.  It  would 
be  a  worfliiping  of  one  as  Gody  who  by  Nature  is  not  God. 
And  by  the  fame  Argument  which  the  Orthodox  have  been 
wont  to  ufe  againfl;  the  Arians.,  who  deny  the  Divinity  of 
Chrifl ;  If  he  be  not  a  dlvineT  erf  on  J:>e  ought  not  to  have  divine 
Worjhif  paid  him  :  I  fay,  by  the  fame  Argument,  if  God 

were 


7 8  True  Peligion  deU7ieated       Dis.  I. 

were  not  by  Nature  GOD,  it  could  not  upon  any  Account 
be  Right  and  our  Duty,  to  love  and  worihip  him  as  God, 
It  is  his  being  by  Nature  God,  his  being  what  he  is,  and 
his  infinite  Excellency  in  being  fuch,  which  therefore  lays 
the  original  Foundation  of  all  our  Obligations,  and  which 
gives  Life  and  Energy  to  all.  And  accordingly  we  may 
obferve,  that  the  original  Ground  and  Realbn  upon  which 
God,  as  Governour  ot  the  Wcrld,  a6ls,  in  making  a  J^ai^ 
that  we  fliould  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts^  is,  becaufe  he 
is  the  Lord,  As  is  evident  from  the  Tenor  of  the  Law  it 
felf  Thou /halt  love  the  LORD  &c.  /.  e.  Becaufe  he  is  the 
LORD,  &c.  Yea,  it  is  upon  this  Ground  originally  that 
God  takes  it  upon  him  to  give  all  his  L^ws  to  us  •,  for  this 
is  the  conftant  Style,  ^tis  and  thus  Jhall  ye  do:,  FOR  I  AM 
<THE  LORD. 

Thofe  therefore,  who  are  influenced  to  love  and  worHiip 
God,  7tot  at  ^//becaufe he  is  God^  but  altogether  from  other 
Confiderations  •,  not  at  all  from  a  Senfe  of  his  infinite  Ex- 
cellency, but  altogether  on  other  Accounts ;  arc  fo  far  from 
being  truly  religious,  that  they  are  indeed  guilty  of  great 
Wickednefs  in  all  they  do.  For  altho'  they  pretend  to  love 
and  worfhipGod,  yet  it  is  not  at  all  beca^^fc  he  is  God  :  tho' 
they  pretend  to  pay  divine  Adoration  to  him,  yet  it  is  not 
at  all  becaufe  he  is  a  divine  Being.  So  that  when  they  pre- 
tend to  pay  divine  Worfliip  and  Adoration  to  God.  it  is 
meerly  from  fome  felfifh  Confideration,  from  Self-love  and 
for  Self-ends  •,  there  is  no  true  Regard  to  God,  but  all  cen- 
ters in  Self.  So  that  Self  indeed  is  their  Idol^  and  iit\Q  only 
God  they  ferve.  And  their  pretending  to  love  and  worihip 
God  is  mere  Mockery. —  When  they  pretend  to  love  and 
worihip  God,  it  is  not  at  all  becaufe  he  is  God,  not  at  all 
from  a  Senfe  of  his  divine  Glory  •,  but  only  to  appeafe  his 
Anger  and  obtain  his  Favour,  or  becaufe  they  conlider  him 
as  their  Friend  and  Benefactor.  And  now  to  come  to  God 
and  pretend  to  worfhip  him  as  if  he  was  God,  and  yet  not 
to  do  it  at  all  becaufe  he  is  God,  but  for  mean  &:  mercenary 
and  felfifh  Ends,  is  a  very  complicated  W  ickednefs  :  and 
to  think  to  pleafe  God  in  this  Way,  and  get  into  Favour  by 
thisMeans,difcovers  fuch  Ignorance  and  Contempt  of  God, 
and  a  Frame  of  Heart  fo  full  of  fecret  Biafphemy,  fpiritual 

Idolatry, 


and  di/linguiped  from  all  Counterfeits  79 

Idolatry,  Pride,  and  Hypocrify,  as  cannot  eafily  be'exprefT- 
ed. —  They  pratTtiGally  deny  his  Divinity:  yet  pretend  to 
pay  him  divine  Worlhip. —  They  pretend  to  ferve  God  : 
yet  really  intend  only  to  ferve  themfelves. —  They  make  as 
it  they  loved  God  :  But  only  love  themfelves. — Yet  fo  into- 
lerably mean  are  their  Thoughts  of  God,  that  they  expedt 
to  pleafe  him  by  all  this.- —  To  make  the  beft  of  it,  all  that 
Religion  is  mere  Hypocrify,  which  does  not  primarily  take 
its  Rife  from  a  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  di- 
vine Nature. 

Thus  then  we  fee  what  is  the/r/?  and  c^^ief  Motive  of  a 
genuine  Love  to  God. —  He  is  a  Being  of  infinite  Under- 
Handing,  &  of  almightyPower,  infinite  in  Wifdom,Hohnefs, 
Juftice,  Goodnef ,  and  Truth  ;  and  fo  a  Being  of  infinite 
Glory  and  Excellency  ;  and  fo  infinitely  amiable,  and  infi- 
nitely worthy  to  be  loved  with  all  our  Hearts.  —  And  this 
Obligation  is  binding  originally  in  itfelf,  antecedent  to  a 
Confideration  of  any  other  Motive  whatfoever  ;  and  it  is 
infinitely,  eternally  and  unchangeably  binding,  and  gives 
Life  and  Energy  and  Strength  to  all  other  Obligations. — 
And  hence  if  we  do  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts,  v/e  do 
but  our  Duty  and  deferve  noThanks  :  But  we  are  infinitely 
to  blame  for  the  leaft  Defied,  and  can  never  do  any  Thing 
to  atone  for  it,  but  deferve  everiafling  Damnation.  And  i? 
will  alv/ays  be  our  Duty  thus  to  love  God,  and  the  leaft  De- 
fied: will  be  always  thus  blame- worthy,  let  our  Circumftan- 
ces  as  to  Happinefs  or  Mifiery  be  what  they  will.  All  our 
Hearts  will  be  always  due  to  God,  and  v/e  fhall  always 
ftand  bound  to  pay  this  Debt,  whether  we  have  any  Heart 
for  it  or  no.  And  God  will  always  appear  fuch  an  infinite 
Enemy  to  the  leaft  Defied,  as  in  his  Law  he  has  declared 
himfelf  to  be  ;  nor  is  there  any  Hopes  of  our  finding  Ac- 
ceptance i?i  his  Sight,unlefs  it  be  by  aUnion  toand  Intereft 
inHim,who  has  anfiwered  all  theDemands  ofi  theLav^  in  the 
Room  of  thofe  who  believe  in  Him.  And  allPretence  ofi 
Love  to  God  which  does  not  take  its  Rifie  fircm  this  Foun- 
dation, is  but  meer  Hypocrifiy. All  thefie  Confiequences 

fio  necefiarily  follow,  from  a  Suppofition  of  the  infinite  Ex- 
cellency &  Amiablenefs  ofi  the  divine  Nature,  and  fio  evi- 
dently,as  that  if  God  be  but  fieen  aright  ^  aSenfie  of  his  infinite 

Beauty 


8o  T*rue  Religion  delineated  Dis.  L 

Beauty  will  immediately  affure  the  Heart,':hat  thefe  Things 
are  fo.  A  Senle  oi'  his  intiriite  Glory  will  make,  us  lee  and 
feel  that  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love  him 
with  all  ourHearts,and  that  we  could  defer ve  noThanks  for 
doing  lb,  but  that  the  icafl  Dcfeft  is  intiniteiy  Wrong,  <y<r. 
A  Senfc  of  the  infiniteGlory  of  God  will  etieCtuaily  eftablifh 
the  Heart  in  thefe  I'hings  agamil  all  the  fubtle  Arguments 
and  fair  Pretences  of  Hereticks.  A  Senfe  of  the  infinite 
Gloiy  of  God  immediately  imparted  to  the  Soul  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  whereby  the  Heart  is  thus  divinely  cilablifli- 
cd  in  the  Belief  of  the  Truth,  is  therefore  that  Unulion  frcmi 
the  holy  Ons^  which  .all  the  Saints  have,  whereby  they  arc 
efFeclually  fecured  from  being  finally  led  away  by  faife 
Teachers.  At  leaft  that  V  not  mi  confifts  partly  in  this. 
I  Joh.  2.  20. — 27. —  And  at  the  fame  Time,  that  thePeo- 
pie  of  God  are  thus  efhabliflied  in  theBelief  of  thefe  Truths, 
relating  to  Law  and  Duty,  from  a  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Glo- 
ry ofGod  •,  I  fay, at  the  lameTime  this  Senfc  of  the  infinite 
Glory  of  God,  begets  a  Difpofition  in  the  Heart  to  conform 
to  this  Lav/  and  do  this  Duty.  And  thus  it  is  that  God 
writes  his  Law  in  our  Hearts  and  puts  it  in  our  inwardParts^ 
when  he  intends  to  become  our  God  and  to  make  us  his  Ped- 
pie.  (  Heb.  8.  10,  11.)  And  hence  it  begins  to  be  the  Na- 
ture of  the  People  of  God,  to  love  him  with  all  theirHearts. 
And  their  Views  and  their  Temper  and  every  Thing  elfe 
being  thus  entirely  new^  hence  they  are  called  new  Creatures, 
Old  Things  are  faft  away^  and  all  Things  are  become  new. — 
But  now  this  Senfe  of  the  infinite  Glory  of  God,  which  thus 
lays  the  very  loweft  Foundation  of  true  Religion,  is  mtirely 
left  out  of  all  falfe  Religions.  And  by  this^  true  Religion 
ftands  diftinguifhed,as  fom.ething  fpecifically  different  from 
all  the  falfe  Religions  in  the  World.  And  hence  we  may 
obferve,  that  it  is  fpokenof  inScripture,as  fomethmg  peculiar 
to  true  Saints,thatthey/e'^God,and^w^';i^God.Joh.  8.19,55. 
Te  neither  know  me^  nor  my  Father.  Joh.  14.  19  The  World 
feeth  me  no  more^  but  ye  fee  me,  i  Joh.  '^.d.  JVhofoever  fin- 
neth^  hath  not  feen  him^  neither  known  him,  i  Joh.  2.3. 
Hereby  we  do  know^  that  we  know  him,  if  we  keep  his  Com- 
ma?idments.  i  Joh.  4.  7,8.  Every  one  that  loveth,  knowethGod, 
He  that  loveth  not,  hioweth  not  God, —  And  the  unregene- 

rate 


and  dijiinguified from  all  Counterfeits.  8 1 

rate  not  knowing  God,  not  having  a  Scnfe  o^^  his  infinite 
Glory  to  lay  the  Foundation  of  their  Love  and  of  their 
Religion  \  hence  all  theirLove  and  all  theirReligion  entirely 
take  their  Rife  from  mere  feififh  ConfiderationSjand  nothing 
but  Self-love  lies  at  Bottom.  And  hence  it  is  natural  for 
iinregenerate  Men  to  think  they  deferve  fomething  for  their 
Duties,  and  as  natural  to  beinfenfible  of  the  infinite  Evil  of 
their  Sins.  And  fo  'tis  their  Nature,  to  magnify  and  be 
proud  of  their  own  Goodnefs,  and  to  extenuate  and  be  un- 
humbled  for  theirBadnefs.  And  from  hence  refults  our  native 
Averfion  to  Faith  aad  Repentance^  and  Contrariety  to  the 
Gofpel-JVay  of  Salvation.  And  now  new  Gcfpeh-i  new  Sorts 
of  Faith  and  Repentance  are  coined,  7tew  Notions  of  Religi- 
on contrived,  to  fuit  the  depraved  Temper  and  Vitiated 
Talle  of  unhumbled,  impenitent  Sinners,  who  are  concern- 
ed to  fecure  their  own  Intereft,  but  care  not  what  becomes 
of  God's  Honour.  Hence  Errors  take  their  Rife,  and  pro- 
feffing  Chriilians  are  divided  into  Parties,  and  one  runs  this 
Way,  and  another  that,  and  all  hope  to  get  to  Heaven  at 
laft.--  And  now  at  length  after  fo  great  a  variety  of  Infer- 
ences and  Remarks,  and  fo  large  a  Confideration  of  the  firft 
and  chief  Motive  of  a  genuine  Love  to  God  j  I  proceed, 

2.  To  take  a  fhort  View  of  the  additional  Obligations 
which  we  lie  under,  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts.  /  AM 
THE  LORD.,  (  this  lays  the  firfl  Foundation,  and  leads  the 
Way,  when  from  Mount  Sinai^  the  Almighty  proclaims 
his  Law,  but  then  he  immediately  goes  on  to  add,)  57/7" 
GOD^  which  brought  thee  out  of  the  Land  of  Egypt  and  cut  of 
the  Houfe  of  Bondage.  Exod.  20. —  God  has  fuch  a  Right 
to  us,  and  fuch  an  Authority  over  us,  and  has  done  fo  many 
Things  for  us,  and  promifed  fo  many  Things  to  us,  that 
our  additional  Obligations  to  be  the  Lord's,  to  love  him  and 
live  to  him,  are  exceeding  great. 
Particularly, 

Nothing  is  more  reafonablc  than  that  we  fiiould  be  en- 
tirely dedicated  to  that  God,  whofe  we  be,  originally,  and  by 
an  entire,  underived  and  unalienable  Right.  Efpecially  con- 
fidering  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  and  that  he  is  Lord  of  all 
Things,  and  by  Nature  God  mod  high. —  Indeed,  if  our 
Creator  was  not  by  Nature  the  moft  high  God,  then  he  could 

G  not 


82  Turtle  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

not  be  the  fupreme  Lord  of  all  Things ;  for  there  would  be 
one  above  him  ;  and  fo  we  Ihould  not  be  his,  entirely  and 
abfolutely  •,  for  he  himfelf  and  we  his  Creatures,  would  be- 
long originally  to  another,  even  to  hini  that  by  Nature 
would  be  the  moll  high  God  •,  and  him  we  ought  to  love 
and  worihip. But  our  Creator  hitnfeli,  being  abfo- 
lutely the  firft,  and  abfolutely  fupreme,  Self-exiftent  and 
independent,  the  fole  Author  and  Lord  of  all  Things,  as 
well  as  infinitely  glorious  in  himfe]f5hisRight  to  us  is  origi- 
nal, underived  and  mod  abfolute  and  entire.  And  therefore 
k  is  infinitely  fit  and  fuitable,  that  we  Ihould  be,  in  the  con- 
fbmt  Frame  and  Difpofition  of  our  Hearts,  abfolutely,  en- 
titcly  and  wholly  the  Lord's,  and  tliat  we  fnould  for  ever 
exert  all  our  Powers,  to  the  very  utmoft,  to  promote  his 
Honour  and  Interefl.  And  it  is  infinitely  unreafonable  that 
we  fhould  ever  fet  up  ourfelves,  and  be  attached  to  any  In- 
terefl of  our  own,  feparate  from  his. And  inafmuch  as 

he  is  infinitely  better  than  we  be,  (  Yea  all  the  Nations  of 
the  Earthy  are  lefs  than  nothing  before  him^)  and  has  fuch  an 
entire  Right  unto  us,  his  Intereit  therefore  fhould  be  re- 
garded as  more  valuable  than  our  own,  yea,  infinitely  more* 
For  if  our  own  Interefl  appears  as  valuable  to  us,  as  his  ; 
we  fet  our  felves  upon  a  level  with  him,  and  claim  as  great 
a  Right  to  our  felves,  as  he  has  ;  and  if  his  Interefl  does 
not  appear  a^  being  of  infinitely  greater  Value  to  us,  than 
our  own,  we  do  not  elleem  him  as  being  infinitely  better, 
than  we  be  ourfelves,  and  his  Right  to  us  infinitely  greater, 
than  our  own  Right  to  oui'  felves  is. —  It  is  therefore  infi- 
nitely reafonable,  fince  God  is  what  he  is,  and  has  fuch  a 
Right  to  us  as  he  has,  that  we  fhould  be  conilantly  from 
the  very  bottom  of  our  Hearts  wholly  his,  and  every  Mo- 
ment live  wholly  to  him,  and  always  have  his  Interefl  lie 
mofl  near  our  Hearts,  as  being  of  infinitely  more  Worth 
Value  and  Importance  than  our  own.  As  Mofes,  who  in  a 
•Meafure  was  made  Partaker  of  this  divine  Nature,  in  the 
Anguifli  of  his  Heart  cries,  when  God  tells  him  he  will  cut 
-off  Ifrael^^nd  make  of  him  a  great  Nation,  "  Lord,let  my 
*'  Name  be  blotted  out  of  thy  Book^  let  it  be  forgotten  froin 
*'  among  the  living,  and  be  never  heard  of  again  in  the 
"  World  that  ever  I  was  inBeing  :  But  what  will  hecom^kf 


and dijlihguijfjed from  a  II  Counterfeits.  83 

"  thy  great  Nm'^e  /"  God*s  Honour  and  Intereft  was  dear 
to  him  •,  but  he,  comparatively,  cared  not  for  his  own,  at 
alL  Exod.  3a.  Ni^m.  14. 

But  this  our  Obligation  to  be  entirely  the  Lord's,  is  ftill 
infinitely  increafed,  if  we  confider  the  Authority  of  the  fa- 
preme  Qovernour  of  the  World,  which,  by  his  exprefs  Laviy 
has  enjoined  this  upon  us.  It  is  not  only  infinitely  fit  in 
its  own  Nature,  that  we  fhould  love  God  with  all  our 
Plearts,  confidering  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  and  that  wc 
lliould  be  entirely  ior  him,  in  the  Temper  of  our  Minds, 
confidering  what  an  entire  Right  he  has  to  us  as  his  Crea- 
tures, who  have  received  all  we  have  from  him,  and  are  ab- 
folutely  dependent  on  him  for  all  we  want  \  but  God  has, 
by  ILaw^  as  Qovernour  of  the  World,  enjoined  this  upon  us 
as  our  Duty^  and  that  v/ith  all  his  Authority,.  .  .,.  And  now 
confidering  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  and  the  natural  Right  he 
has  to  all  fhings,  and  how  entirely  we  are  his,  and  abfo- 
lutely  under  his  Government,  his  AUTHORITY  is  infi- 
nitely binding. —  Efpecially  confidering,  how  infinitely  en- 
gaged^ he  appears  to  be,  to  fee  that  hisLaw  be  exaUly  obeyed, 
in  prom.ifing  eternal  Life  on  the  one  Hand,  and  threatning 
•eternal  Damnation  on  the  other.  This  his  infinite  Engaged- 
nefs^  lays  us  under  infinite  Bonds,  to  be  and  do,  exa^ly  what 
he  requires. 

'  But  ilill,  our  Obligation  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts, 
and  be  wholly  the  Lord's,  is  yet  infinitely  more  increafed, 
if  we  confider  what  Ways  the  Lord  has  taken  with  us  in  this 
apoftate  World,  fince  our  Rebellion  againft  him,  fince  we 
have  lofl  all  Efteem  of  him,  turned  Enemies  to  him,  caft 
•off  his  Author:ty,and  pradically  bid  Defiance  to  his  Power 
Jind  Jufhice. —  For  inftead  of  immediately  dooming  all  this 
lower  World  to  blacknefs  of  Darknefs  for  ever,  he  has  fent 
his  Son,  his  only  begotten  Son,  from  Heaven,  to  bring  us 
theNews  of  Pardon  andPeace,and  by  his  ownDeath  to  open 
a  Way  for  our  Return  unto  him,  and  to  call  and  invite  us 
to  return. —  And  now  with  a  liberal  Hand  he  ftrews  com- 
mon Mercies  all  round  the  World,  among  evil,  unthankful, 
guilty,  Hell-deferving  Rebels,  and  fills  the  Hearts  of  all 
V^ith  Food  arid  Gladnefs  •,  and  fends  forth  his  MefTengers 
10  proclaim  it  to  the  Lxic%  of  the  Earth,  that  it  is  his  VVill, 

G  z  that 


84 


True  Rdhmi  delineated        Dis.  I. 


o 


that  all  his  rebellious  Creatures  lay  down  their  Weapons  of 
Rebellion,  acknowledge  the  Law  by  which  they  ftand  con- 
demned, to  be  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  look  to  him  thro' 
Jefus  Chrift  for  Pardon  as  a  free  Gift,  and  thro'  Jefus  Chrill: 
return  unto  him,  and  give  up  themfelves  to  him  entirely,  to 
love  him  and  live  to  him,  and  delight  in  him  for  ever. 

And  while  the  World  in  general  make  light  of  all  this, 
and  go  to  their  Farms,  and  to  their  Merchandize,  and  many 
are  enraged  and  cry  out  againil  the  Melfengers  of  Peace, 
and  ilone  feme  and  kill  orhers  •,  {Matt,  22.)  that  new  he 
fhould  of  his  ov/n  fovereign  good  Pieafure,  according  to  his 
eternal  Purpofe,  feize  here  and  there  one,  by  his  All-con- 
quering Grace,  ctnd  ftop  them  in  their  Career  to  Hell,  and 
make  them  fee  and  leei  their  Sin  and  Guilt,  and  own  the 
Sentence  jufb  by  which  they  (land  condemned,  and  bring 
them  as  upon  their  Knees  to  look  to  free  Grace  thro*  Jefus 
Chrift  for  a  Pardon,  and  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  to  give  up  them- 
felves for  ever  to  him  :  that  new  he  fhould  leceive  them  to 
Favour,  and  put  them  among  his  Children,  and  become 
their  Father,  and  their  God,  in  an  everlafting  Covenant,  and 
Undertake  to  teach  and  lead,  to  quicken  and  ftrengthen,  to 
corredt  and  comfort,  and  fo  to  hun.b  e  and  purify  and  fane- 
tify,  a  id  fit  them  for  his  heavenly  Kingdom  •,  and  while 
they  are  in  thIsWorld,  to  give  them  ail  1  hings  that  are  beft 
for  them,  and  make  all  I'hings  work  together  for  their 
Good,  and  finally  bring  them  unto,  and  pofTefs  them  of 
eternal  Glory  and  Biellednefs  in  the  full  Enjoyment  oi  him- 
felf  for  ever  : —  For  a  Gcd  of  infinite  Greatnsfs  and  Glory^ 
to  deal  juft  fo^  with  juft  fuch  Creatures^  is  the  moft  amaz- 
ing and  aftoniihing  Grace  •,  and  lays  infinite  Bonds  upon  Be- 
lievers to  love  the  Lord  their  God  with  all  their  Hearts, 
and  to  live  to  him  for  ever  •,  and  has  the  greateft  Tendency 

to  animate  them  fo  to   do. And  thus   by  thefe   brief 

Hints  we  have  a  general  View  of  the  additional  Motives  of 
a  true  and  genuine  Love  to  God. 

As  God's  bringing  up  the  Children  of  Iftrad  out  o^  Egypt ^ 
leading  them  thro'  the  Wildernefs,  driving  out  the  Heathen 
from  before  them,  and  giving  them  that  good  Land  which 
flowed  with  Milk  and  Hon^^y,  and  covenanting  to  be  their 
Goc^,  is  uied  fo  frequently,  by  Mofes  and  the  Prophels^ 

throughout 


and  dij}i?iguijhedfrcm  all  Counterfeits.  8  5 

throughout  ?ill  the  old  Teflament,  as  a  Motiy.e  to  engage 
them  to  cleive  to  thcLord,and  to  him  only  and  entirely  and 
for  ever  :  So  God's  fending  his  Son  into  the  Vv^orld,  to  fave 
his  People  from  their  Sins,  their  fpiritual  Bondage,  together 
with  all  "the  fpiritual  and  everlafting  BlefTings  ot  the  Cove* 
nant  of  Grace,  are  continually  ufed  in  the  new  Teflament, 
as  Arguments  to  engage  Believers  not  to  live  to  themfelves, 

but  to  him  that  died  for  them. Only  here  let  thefc 

Things  be  remembred, 

(i.)  That  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  ininite  Greatnefs  and 
Gloiy  of  God,  from  whom  all  Good  comes,  and  a  Senfe  of 
their  own  infinite  Meannefs  and  Unworthinefs,  makes  all 
the  Mercies  they  receive  infinitely  the  more  endearing  and 
engaging.  For  the  Mercies  themfelves  now  appear  unfpeaka- 
biy  the grealer^  in  that  they  come  {romfucb  a  God  and  ta 
fiich  Creatures  •,  and  the  infinite  Go&dncfs  of  God  Ihines  the 
brighter  in  every  Mercy,  and  the  Freenefs  of  his  Grace  is  the 
piore  coiifpicuous,  on  account  of  which  he  is  infinitely 
amiable.  The  infinite  Greatnefs  and  Glory  of  Gcd  in  gene- 
ral ravilhes  the  Heart,  the  infinite  moral  Beauty  of  the  di* 
vine  Goodnefs  and  Grace  in  particular  ravifhes  the  Heart, 
and  now  that  fuch  a  God  fhould  fhew  fuch  Kindnejfes  to  fuch 
a  Creature  is  very  affefbing.  fFho  am  /,  0  Lord  God  ?  And 
what  is  my  Hcufe^  that  thou  haft  brought  me  hitherto  f  Says 
holy  David — And  is  this  the  Manner  ofMen^  0  Lord  God ! — 
No  furely. —  JVherefore  thou  art  greats  0  Lord  God :  For 
there  is  none  like  thee,  neither  is  there  any  God  beftdes  thee, 

a  Sam,  7.  18 — 2?. God  is  loved  for  the  KindnefTes  be- 

ftowed  ;  but  he  is  mere  loved  for  the  infinite  Beauty  of  that 
Gcddnefs  which  is  difplayed  in  the  beftowment  of  them, 
indfor  his  being  altogether  fuch  a  one  as  he  is.  So  the 
^een  of  Sheba  efteemed  Solomon  for  the  KindnefTes  he 
fhewed  her,  but  primarily  and  much  more  for  his  own  per* 
fonal  Excellencies.  And  his  perfonal  Excellencies  made 
her  efteem  his  Favours  to  her  of  much  greater  Worth. — 
That  a  glorious  and  ever-blcjfed  God  fhould  treat  Sir.ners  fo, 

IS  infinitely  endearing. Now  thefe  Senf^tions  which  a 

true  Believer  has,  and  his  Love  to  God  arifing  therefrom;^ 

Riuft  be  vaftly  different  from  every  Thing  which  natural 

■  G  s  Men 


86  True  Relhion  delineated        Dis.  L 


^ 


Men  experience,  who  know  not  God,  and  have  no  higher 
Principle  in  them  than  Self-love. 

(2.)  Let  it  alfo  be  remembred,  that  God  defigns^  by  all 
his  Dealings  and  KindneiTes  to  his  People,  to  bring  them 
fi^arer  to  himfef  in  this  Vv^orld,  and  to  the  everlafting  Enjoy- 
ment of  himfelf  in  the  World  to  copie.  He  means  for  the 
prefent  to  humble  themjand  wean  them  from  the  World,  to 
make  them  more  fpiritually-minded  and  heavenly- minded, 
to  bring  them  to  be  more  acquainted  with  God  and  more 
entirely  to  take  up  their  Reft  and  Contentment  in  Him  ; 
and  therefore  all  I'hings  are  calculated  by  his  infinite  Wif- 
dom  and  Goodnefs  to  attain  this  End.  And  this  caufes  all 
the  wift  and  kind  Dealings  of  God,  outwardly  in  his  Provi- 
dence and  inwardly  by  his  Spirit,  ai}d  that  both  by  W^ay  of 
Corrediion  as  v.^eli  as  by  Way  of  Confolation,  to  appear  in 
a  very  affecting  and  engaging  Light  to  true  Believers. — 
While  they  fee  what  God  is  in  himfelf,  and  his  infinite 
Beauty  in  being  fuch  •,  while  they  fee  hov/  infinitely  fufH- 
cient  he  is  to  be  all  Things  to  them.,  and  to  do  all  Things 
fcr  them,  and  the  Bleflednefs  of  living  wholly  upon  him 
and  trufting  wholly  in  him  ;  while  they  fee  God  calculat- 
ing all  Things  to  bring  them  to  him,  and  actually  find  all 
Things  working  this  Way  ;  their  Obligations  to  love  him 
and  live  to  hun  appear  infinitely  binding,  and  their  Hearts 

are  m.ightily  engaged  and   animated. This  View   of 

Things  make  all  their  AfEidions  appear  as  great  Mercies  •, 
becaule  they  are  fo  wifely  calculated  to  bring  them  near  to 
God.  Pfal.  119.  71.  This  View  of  Things  adds  an  infinite 
Value  to  all  the  Kindnelfcs  of  God,  over  and  above  what 
they  are  worth  merely  in  themfelves,  becaufe  the^  are  all 
fo  wifely  calculated  to  bring  them  near  to  God.  This  is 
the  Kernel  of  ail  that  tender-Mercy  and  Loving-Kindnefs 
which  they  fee  in  all  their  Afflictions,  and  in  all  their  Com- 
forts. Hcb.  12.  10,  II.  Rom.  8.  28. —  To  he  brought  near 
to  God, is  worth  more  than  all  the  World  ;  there  is  no  Por- 
tion like  God,  no  Comfort  like  that  which  is  to  be  taken 
in  him  :  He  is  the  godly  Man's  ALL.  Pfal.  73.25.  IFhom 
have  I  in  Heaven  but  thee  ?  And  there  is  nothing  on  Earth  1 
defire  bcfides  thee.r--. —  And  now  that  fuch  a  God  Ihould 
^^ksjiich  Methods.,  yfk\ijuftfucb  a  Creature^   to  bring  him 

to 


and  dijiinguifhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   87 

to  the  PofltfTion  di  fuch  a  Good^  is  the  mofl  amazing  Good- 
nefs  and  the  moft  ailoniihing  Grace. —  Now  here  is  a  Senfc 
of  die  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature  in  general^  and  a 
Senfe  of  the  moral  Beauty  of  the  divine  Goodnefs  in  parti- 
cular^ and  of  the  unfpeakable  Mercy  God  fhews  to  them, 
which  Mercy^  is  infinitely  magnified  in  their  Account,  from 
the  Value  they  have  for  God,  as  the  Portion  of  their  Souls, 
from  all  which,  their  Love  to  God  takes  its  Rife  :  Where- 
by  their  Love  appears  to  be  exceeding  different  from  any 
Thing  which  natural  Men  experience,  who  neither  know- 
God,  nor  relifh  Communion  with  him,  but  are  contrai7  to 
Him  in  all  Things  :  And  only  from  Self-love  are  glad  of 
the  good  Things  they  receive  from  God,  which  good 
Things  they  live  upon  and  make  a  God  of :  Whether  they 
be  worldly  good  Things,  or  great  Light  and  Comfort  and 
Joy  of  a  religious  Nature. 

(3.)  Let  it  alio  be  remembred,  that  all  God's  Gifts  to 
his  People  are  fo  many  Talents  bellowed  upon  them  ulti- 
mately to  he  improved  for  God^  whereby  they  are  put  under 
Advantages  to  glorify  God  and  do  Good  in  the  World.  And 
the  more  they  havefof  worldly  Subftance,of  natural  Powers, 
of  acquired  Accomplifhments,  and  of  the  gracious  Influences 
of  the  holy  Spirit,  ^c.  the  greater  are  their  Advantages  to 
ad  for  God,  to  promote  his  Honour  and  Intereft,  and  to  do 

.Good. Now   in  Proportion  as  they  love   God,    in 

the  fame  Proportion  is  his  Honour  and'  Intereft,  and  the 
Good  and  Welfare  of  his  Creatures  and  Subjeds,  dear  unto 
them. —  The  Intereft  and  Honour  of  God  lies  nearer  to  the 
Hearts  of  his  People,  than  their  Parents,  or.Conforts,  or 
Children,  or  Houfes  and  Lands,  yea,  than  their  own  Lives. 
{Luk.  14.  26.) — To  be  under  Advantages  therefore  to  pro- 
mote his  Honour  and  Intereft,  muft,  in  their  Account,  be 

efteemed  an  ineftimable  Priviledge. Hence  th-ey  love 

God  for  all  Things  they  receive  from  Him,  becaufe  by  all 
they  are  put  under  fuch  Advantages  to  live  to  him  and 
ferve  him,  feeking  his  Intereft  and  Honour  and  Glory.  A 
remarkable  Inftance  of  which  wc  have  in  Ezr^,  that  hearty 
Friend  to  God,  and  to  his  Honour  and  Intereft.  See  Ezr.  7. 
f.  27,  28.  compared  with  the  reft  of  the  Chapter.-^—'^oyi 
herein  again  their  Love  to  God  for  bis  Benefits,  is  evidently 

G  4.  difFereiir 


88  %-ue  Religion  delineated       Dis,  I. 

different  from  any  Thing  which  natural  Men  experience, 
who  have  no  higher  Principle  than  Self-love,  and  are  en- 
tirely actuated  by  it. 

And  as  the  Love  of  the  Saint  and  of  the  Hypocrite  thus 
greatly  differ  in  their  Nature^io  do  they  alfo  differ  as  great- 
ly in  their  Fruits  and  Effe^s,  Ezra  loved  God  greatly  for 
hisKindneffes  to  him,becaufe  thereby  he  was  put  underAd- 
vantages  to  do  fo  much  for  God's  Glory  and  for  the  Good 
of  his  People.  And  now  fee  how  adive  lie  is  for  God, 
^nd  how  he  exerts  himfelftodoGood,  and  to  reform  every 
Thing  that  was  amifs  among  the  Jews  •,  from  the  eighth 
Chapter  and  on.  While  the  hypocritical  Jews,  who,  no 
doubt,  were  alfo  greatly  affected  with  the  Mercy  of  God  in 
their  Deliverance  from  their  long  Captivity,  were  fo  far 
from  being  adive  for  God,  that  they,  not  caring  for  his 
Honour  or  his  Laws,  committed  great  Abominations. 
Ezr,  9,  I.  So  the  Children  of  Ifrael  at  the  Red-Sea  feemed 
to  be  full  of  Love  to  God,  as  well  as  Mofes  j  but  as  they 
had  different  Sorts  of  Love,  fo  their  Carriage  did.  as  greatly 
differ  afterwards,  for  the  Courfe  of  forty  Years.  And  no 
wonder,for  the  hypocritical  Ijraelites  onty  loved  themfeives, 
and  cared  only  tor  their  own  Inrerefl  j  but  Mofes  lo  ed 
God,  and  cared  above  all  Things  for  his  Honour. 

Thus  we  fee,  not  only  what  additional  Obligations  Belie- 
vers are  under  to  love  God  v/ith  all  their  Hearts,  but  ajfo 
how,  and  in  what  Manner,  they  influence  and  excite  theni 

fo  to  do. —  And  what  I  have  offered  effedlually  obviates 

the  common  Plea  of  P'^ormaliils  and  all  Self-feekers,  i:hat 
all  the  Saints  in  Scripture  are  reprefenied  as  loving  Gcd  for  his 
Benefits  •,  whence  they  argue,  that  they  are  right,  and 
their  Religion  genuine,  which  refults  merely  from  Seit-iove, 
and  the  fear  ot  Hell  and  hope  of  Heaven,  or  from  a  confix 
dent  Perfwafion  that  their  Sins  are  pardoned/^—  For  it  is 
evident,  that  true  Saints  do  not  love  God  for  his  Benefits, 
nor  eye  their  own  Happinefs,  in  the  fame  Manner  that  fuch 

Men  do,  but  in  a  Manner  altogether  different.- Saints 

know  the  God  they  love,  and  love  him  primarily  for  what 
he  is  in  himfelf,  and  becaufe  he  is  jull  what  he  is :  But 
Hypocrites  know  not  God,  nor  love  him,  but  are  in  all 
Things  contrary  to  him,  and  arc  only  pleafed  with  the 

falfe 


arid  dijlinguijhed from  ah  Counterfeits.   89 

falfe  Image  of  God  they  have  framed  in  their  Fancies, 
merely  becaufe  they  think,  that  he  loves  them,  and  has  done, 
and  will  do,  great  Things  for  them. —  Saints  are  affeded 
with  the  divine  Goodnefs  it  felf  for  the  moral  Beauty  there 
is  in  it  ;  Bat  Hypocrites  are  affeclcd  only  with  the  Fruits' 
and  Effeds  of  divine  Goodnefs  to  them,  as  tending  to  make 
them  happy. —  Saints  love  God  tor  his  Benefits,  under  a 
real  Senfe  of  their  intiniteUnworLhinefs  of  the  leaft  of  them  : 
But  fo  it  is  not  v/ith  the  Hypocrites. —  Saints  love  God  for 
all  the  Stream.s  of  divine  Goodnefs,  becaufe  they  are  de- 
figned  and  aclually  do  lead  them  up  to  God  the  Fountain, 
who  is  the  Portion  of  their  Souls  :  But  Hypocrites  live  up- 
on the  Stream.s,  difreliiliiAg  the  Fountain. —  Saints  love 
God  dearly  for  all  his  Gifts,  BeDaqfe  by  them  they  are  put 
under  fuch  Advantages -to  live  to  ^od,  to  promote  his 
Interefl  and  Honour,  and  to  do  good  in  the  World  :  But 
Hypocrites  are  confined  within  the  narrow  Circle  Self,- — ^" 
Saincs  Love  to  God  animates  them  to  Hve  to  God,  and  to 
exert  themfelves  to  promote  his  Honour  and  Intereft,  and 
to  do  all  the  Good  they  can  :  but  the  Hypocrite  after  all 
his  pretended  Love  to  God,  cares  not  v/hat  becomes  of  his ' 
Interetl  and  Honour,  if  it  may  but  go  w^ell  v/ith  him,  his 
Friends  and  Party. —  So  that  while  true  Saints  love  God 
for  his  Benefits,  they  ad  in  a  gracious  Manner,  conformable 
to  the  Law  of  God,  and  to  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of 
Things ;  vvhereas  all  the  Love  of  the  moll  refined  Hypo-\ 
crite  is  merely  the  workings  of  a  natural  Self-love,  in  a 
Manner  diredly  contrary  to  the  Law  of  God,  and  to  the 
Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things  -,  and  is  nothing  but  mere 
Mockery.  Pfal.  78.  34,  ^s^^3^^  Zl^  Zech.y.^,6. 

.  Thus  we  have  gone  thro'  the  two  ^ix^ general  Heads ^  and 
fee  what  is  implied  in  Love  to  God,  and  from  what  Motives', 
we  ought-  to  love  him.     And  from  the  whole  we  may  learn 
fo  much  of  the  Nature  of  true  Religion,  as  that  with  much 
Evidence  and  Certainty  we  may  conclude, 

First,  nat  all  that  Jeeming  Love  to  God  is  Counterfeity 
which  arifes  meerly  from  Men^s  Corruptions  being  gratified. 
As  when  ambitious  Men  are  by  God's  Providence  raifed 
to  high  Degrees  of  Honour,  and  worldly  Men  are  profper- 
cd  in  all  which  they  put  their  Hands  unto  y  and  herefrom 

the 


^Q  Ti^ue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  one  and  the  other  rejoyce  and  blefs  God,  and  feem 
to  love  him,  and  verily  think  they^arefincere, —  I'his  is  all 
Hypocrify.  For  in  truth  they  only  love  their  Corruptions, 
and  are  glad  they  are  gratified.  And  accordingly  inflead 
of  improving  ail  their  Riches  and  Honour  for  God,  to  ad- 
vance his  Intereft  and  Honour  in  thq.  World,  they  improve 
all  only  for  themfelves,  to  promote  their  own  Ends  ;  and 
care  not  what  becomes  of  God's  Honour  and  Intereft  and 
Kingdom  \  and  commonly  fuch  Men  fhew  themfelves  the 
greateft  Enemies  to  the  Caufe  of  God  and  to  the  Religion 
of  Chrift.  And  fliould  God  but  touch  all  they  have^  they 
would  curfe  him  to  his  Face, 

Secondly,  We  may  be  equally  certain,  that  all  that 
feeming  Love  to  God  is  Counterfeit ^  that  arifes  merely  from  a 
Legale  Self-righteous  Spirit,  As  when  a  Man,  only  becaufe 
he  is  afraid  of  Hell  and  has  a  Mind  to  be  faved,  fets  him- 
felf  to  repent  and  retorm  and  do  Duties,  and  tries  to  love 
God  and  aim  at  his  Glory,  to  the  Intent  that  he  may  make 
fome  Amends  for  paft  Sins  and  recommend  himfelf  to  the 
divine  Favour,  and  fo  to  efcape  Hell  and  obtain  Heaven. — 
And  when  he  has  grown  fo  good,  as  to  have  raifed  Hopes 
of  attaining  his  End,  he  is  ravifhed  at  the  Thoughts,  and 
rejoyces,  and  blelTes  the  Lord,  and  loves  him. —  It  is  plain, 
all  this  is  Hypocrify.  For  the  Man  in  truth  only  loves 
himfelf,  and  is  concerned  merely  for  his  own  Intereft  ;  but 
does  not  care  at  all  for  God,  his  Glory  or  Honour.  For  if 
tiiere  were  no  Heaven  nor  Hell,  fuch  would  fervc  God  no 
more.  Children  will  work  for  their  Parents  without  being 
hired,  becaufe  they  love  them  ;  but  Hirelings  will  not 
ftrike  a  Stroke,  if  there  is  no  Money  to  be  got ;  becaufe 
they  care  for  nothing  but  their  own  Intereft.  Hence  this 
Sort  of  Hypocrites  are  wont  to  fay,  that  if  they  once  be- 
Uevcd  that  God  had  made  no  Promifes  to  the  beft  they  can 
do,  they  would  never  do  more. —  And  farther,  'tis  plainly 
all  Hypocrify,  for  if  their  Confciences  but  fall  afleep,  fo 
Tiiat  they  are  troubled  no  more  with  the  Thoughts  of 
another  World,  they  will  leave  off  their  Duties,  let  down 
their  Watch,  break  all  their  Refolutions,  and  be  as  bad  as 
ever  :  and  hence  their  Dodrine  ot  falling  from  Grace  pro- 
bably took  its  Rife. And  their  Hypocrify  is  ftill  more 

evident. 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits,  gt" 

evident,  in  that  they  are  commonly  fo  much  concerned  to 
find  out  what  the  leaft  Meafure  of  faving  Grace  is,  and  fo 
frrenuous  in  pleading  for  great  Abatements  in  the  Law. 
For  from  hence  it  is  plain,  that  all  they  are  after  is  only  to 
get  juil  Grace  enough  to  carry  them  to  Heaven  \  as  a  lazy 
Hireling  that  is  for  doing  but  only  juil  Work  enough  to 
pafs  for  a  Day's  Work,that  he  may  get  his  Wages  atNight, 
which  is  all  he  wants. 

Thirdly,  We  may  be  as  certain,  ^hat  all  that  feeming 
Love  IS  Counterfeit^  vjhich  arifes  merely  from  afirong  Confi- 
dence which  a  Man  has^  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned^  and  that 
Chrifi  loves  him^  and  vjill  fave  him.  As  when  a  Man'  is 
under  great  Terrors,  and  has  fearful  Apprehenfions  of  Hell 
and  Damnation,  and  is  ready  even  to  give  up  himfelf  for 
loll  i  but  fuddenly  great  Light  breaks  into  his  Mind,  he 
fees  Chriil  with  his  Arms  open  and  fmiling,  and  it  may  be 
his  Blood  running,  and  hears  him  as  it  were  fay.  Be  of 
good  Chear^  thy  Sins  are  forgiven  thee^ — I  have  lozed  thee  with 
an  everlafling  Love^ —  Come,  thou  huffed  of  my  Father^  inherit 
the  Kingdom  •, —  And  now  he  is  certain  that  his  Sins  are 
pardoned,  and  that  Heaven  is  his,  and  he  is  even  ravifh't 
with  Joy,  and  calls  upon  all  to  praife  the  Lord. —  For  all 
this  proceeds  merely  from  Self- love,  and  there  is  no  Love  to 
God  in  it.  For  all  this  Love  arifes  from  his  falfe  Confidence, 
and  not  from  any  true  Knowledge  of  God.  And  com- 
monly fuch  turn  out  as  the  Ifraelites  did,  who  fang  God^s 
Praife  at  the  Red-Sea^  when  Pharaoh  and  his  Hofts  were 
drowned,  and  they  delivered,  and  their  Hopes  of  getting 
to  Canaan  highly  raifed  -,  but  they  fo  on  for  gat  his  Works  ^  and 
rebelled  againft  him,  and  their  Carcafes  fell  in  the  Wilder- 
nefs.  They  loved  themfelves^  and  therefore  they  rejoyced 
at  their  wonderful  Deliverance ;  and  they  loved  themf elves ^ 
and  therefore  they  murmured  three  Days  after,  when  they- 
came  to  the  bitter  Waters.  Their  Joys  and  theirMurmurings 
proceeded  from  the  very  fame  Principle,  under  difFerent- 
Circumftances  ^  but  the  Love  of  God  was  not  in  the^ 
And  juft  this  is  the  Caie  here. — And  this  is  commonly  the 
Event,  that  the  Fears  of  Hell  being  now  over,  their  Joys 
gradually  abate,  and  they  grow  more  and  more  fecure,  till 
after  a  while  they  return  to  Folly,  as  the  Dog  to  his  Vomit, 

and 


92  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

and  as  the  Sow  that  was  wafhed  to  her  wallowing  in  the 
Mire :  and  fo  are  as  bad  and  fometimes  worfe  than  ever. 
(2  Pet.  2.  20,  21,  22.) —  And  ndw  they  plead,  that  the  befl 
are  dead  fometimes,  and  that  David  and  Peicr  had  their 
Falls,  and  fo  keep  their  Confciences  as  quiet  as  they  can  : 
and  thus  they  live  along  whole  Months  and  Years  together. 

Fourthly,  and  laftly.  We  may  alfo  be  certain,  That  all 
thai  feeming  Lcve  to  Gody  which  arifcs  merely  from  the  grati- 
fication of  fpiritual  Pride y  is  Counterfeit.  As  when  Men 
dream  Dreams,  fee  VifiOx^s,  and  hear  Voices,  and  have  Im- 
prefTions  and  Revelations,  whereby  they  are  fet  up  in  their 
own  Efteem,  and  in  the  Opinion  of  others,  for  fome  of  the 
moft  peculiar  Favourites  of  Heaven,  and  very  beft  Men  in 
all  the  World  ;  and  hence  they  rejoyce  and  blefs  God  and 
mightily  love  him.  But  in  Truth  they  are  only  ravifh't 
with  Self-conceit,  and  feel  blefTedly  to  thiak  themfelves 
fome  of  the  beft  Men  in  the  World,  and  to  think  they 
Ihall  fhortly  fit  at  the  right  Hand  of  Chrift  in  Heaven 
among  the  Apoftles  and  Martyrs,  while  their  Pe:fecutors 
and  Haters  will  be  burning  in  Hell.  But  they  neither  know 
God  nor  love  him  ;  and  for  the  moft  Part,  by  heretical 
Dodrines,  or  wicked  Lives,  or  both,  are  a  fcandal  to  Reli- 
gion.—  Thefe  are  fo  far  from  being  truly  religious,  that 
they  are  the  very  Tares  which  the  Devil  fows.  Matt.  13.  39. 

In  each  of  thefe  Sorts  of  Love  there  are  thefe  three  De- 
fedls  or  Faults.  ( i .)  They  have  no  true  Knowledge  of  God. 
And  fo  (2.)  They  only  love  themfelves.  And  (3.)  Their 

feeming   Love   to  God  arifes  from  a  Mifiake. The 

ambitious  and  worldly  Man  thinks  himfelf  very  happy, 
becaufe  he  rifes  in  Honour  andEftate. — TheLegalift  thinks, 
that  God  loves  him  and  will  fave  him  for  his  Duties.— The 
next  firmly  beUeves,  that  his  Sins  arc  pardoned. —  And  the 
laft,  that  God  looks  upon  him  one  of  the  beft  Men  in  the 
World.  But  all  are  wofuUy  miftaken  :  and  when  at  the 
Day  of  Judgment  they  come  to  fee  their  Miftake,  their 
Love  to  God  will  vanifti  away,  and  they  turn  everlafting 
Haters  and  Blafphemers  of  the  moft  High. —  And  another 
Defed  in  thefe  &  all  other  Sorts  of  counterfeit  Love,  is,that 
they  none  of  them  will  ever  make  Men  truly  obedient.  For 
when  Men's  feeming  Lgve  to  God  is  nothing  but  Self-love 

in 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  CGunterfeits.  93 

in  another  Shape,  all  their  fceming  Obedience  will  in  reality 
be  nothing  but  Self-feeking.  They  may  pretend  to  be  the 
Servants  of  God,  but  w|Il  only  mean  ultimately  to  lervc 
themfeives. 

Section     III. 

Concerning  the  Meafure  of  Love  to  God  re^ 
quired  in  the  divine  Law, 

I  proceed  now  to  the  next  Thing  propofed,  v;hich  was, 
■III.  To  ihew,  "johat  is  that  Meafure  of  Love  toGod^  which 
the  Law  reauires  of  all  Mankiyid. And  our  bleffed  Savi- 
our clears  up  this  Point  in  the  moil  plain  and  familiar 
Language.  Ihcit  /ball  Icie  the  Lord  thy  Gody  with  all  thy 
Heart,  and  with  all  thy  Scul,  and  with  all  thy  Mind  ;  and  it 
is  added  in  Mark  12.  30.  With  all  thy  Strength,  i.e.  in 
other  Worlds,  v/e  ought  to  Icve  God  in  a  Meafure  exadlly 
proportionable  to  the  Largenefs  of  our  natural  Powers  and 
Faculties.  Which  to  do,  is  all  that  Perfedion  which  God 
ever  required  of  any  ot  his  Creatures.  * 

When  the  Law  requires  us  to  love  God  with  all  cur 
Hearts^  it  either  means,  to  the  utmoft  extent  of  our  natural 

Capacity, 


The  Law  runs  thus,  Thou  /hah  Ityve  the  Lord  thy  God  --with  ALL  thy 
Beart,  &C.  and  thy  Neighhoiir  AS  thy  f elf.  God  is  to  have  the  highrjl 
Degree  of  Love  we  are  capable  of ;  but  a.  ?r.uch  lefi  Degree  is  due  to 
to  our  felvcs  and  Neighbours.  So  that  according  to  the  Tenor  of 
the  Law,  our  Love  to  God  is  to  be  greater  and  more  fervent^  than  our 
Love  to  our  (civ^s.  And  therefore  the  Law  does  fuppofe  that  God 
is  worthy  of  our  fupreme  Love  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  antecedent 
to  any  felfifh  Confideration,  from  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  which  IVcrtki- 
refs  our  Love  to  God  is  primarily  to  take  its  Rife.  For  in  the  Na- 
ture of  Things,  it  would  be  impolhble  for  us,  from   Self-love,  to  love 

God  more  than  ourfelves. Or  thus,theLaw  requires  us  o  love  God 

nore  than  ourfelves ;  but  in  the  Nature  of  Thirgs  it  is  inipofTible  that 
merely,  from  Self-love  we  fhouid  love  God  niore  tnan  ourfelves: 
therefore  the  Law  fuppofes  that,  there  is  fomething  m  God  to  excite 
our  Love  antecedent  to  any  felHfh  Confideration,  and  that  our  Love 
to  him  is  not-  to  proceed  meerly  from  Self-love.  For  otherwife  the 
Law  requires  us  to  do  that,  which  in  its  own  Nature  \i  abfolutely  im- 
poffible.  -----  And  this^by  the  Way,^  raay  .iervc.ilili  faitker  to  coaiirm 
the  Truth  of  what  has*  been  before  Vai  j 


94-  True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

-  Capacity,  or   eife  only  ^to  the  utmoft  extent  of  our  moral 
:  Capacity.  /.  e.  only  lb  much  as  we  are  inclined  to.  And  then 
sche.lcii  -we  are  inclined  to  love.  (^od,the  lefs  l.o^/^  is  requir- 
ed ;  and  ib  if  we  have  no  Heart,  no  liiciinaion   to  love 
him,then  no  Love  at  all  is  required.  And  according  to  this 
Rule,  the  carnal  Mhid  whith  is  Enmity  againft  God,  is  not 
in  Duty  hound  to  be  fabject  to  the  Law,  neither  indeed  can 
,be.    And  miere  there  is  no  Law,  there  is  no.  TranfgrefTion. 
\Vhere  there  is  no  Duty  required,  there  can  be  no  Sin  ccm- 
mitted.     And  fo  the  vi left  of  Mortals  are  the  frceft  from 
Sin,  and  the  leaft  to  blame  •,  which  is  the  grofTeit  Abfar- 
,dity.- — -  When  therefore  the  Law  requires  us  to  love  G-jd 
'with  all  our  Hearts^  it  has  no  Reference  to  our  moral  Indi- 
•Tiatien^  but  only  to  our  natural  Capacity,     And  indeed  no- 
thing can  be  more  unreafonable,  than  to  fuppofe,  that  the 
Law  only  requires  us  to  love  God,  fo  far  as  we  have  a  Heart 
and  Difpofition  to  do  fo  ;  for  this  would  leave  us  entirely 
•at  Liberty,  to  do  otherwife,  if  we  were  fo  inclined,  and  in 
efFedt  it  would  make  the  Law  fay.  If  you  feel  inclined  to  love 
iGod^  more  or  lefs^  fo  far  it  is  your  Duty,  but  farther  you  are 
mot  hound,  hut  are  at  your  Liherty.  i.  e.  the  Law  is  not  bind- 
ing,  any  farther  than   you  are  inclined  to  obey  it.  /.  e,  in 
reality  it  is   no  Law,  but  every  Man   is  left  to  do  as  he 
pleafes. —  The  whole  Heart  therefore  does  the  Law  mean 
to  require,  let  our  Temper,  Inclination,  or  Difpofition  be 
what  it  will. 

God  the  great  Author  of  all  Things  has  been  pleafed  to 
create  intelligent  Beings  of  different  Sizes,  fome  of  a  higher 
Rank,  and  fome  of  a  lower,  fome  of  greater  Capacities  and 
fome  of  lefs.  Some  are  Angels,  and  fome  are  Men.  And 
among  the  Angels  fome  are  of  larger  natural  Powers,  and 
fome  of  fmaller.  So  it  is  among  the  good  Angels,  and  fo  it 
is  among  the  evil  Angels.  There  are  Angels  and  Arch- 
angels, that  is.  Beings  of  various  natural  Powers  and  Capa- 
cities, among  the  good  and  bad.  And  fo  it  is  among  Men, 
among  good  and  bad,  there  is  a  very  great  Variety,  fome 
have  larger  Souls  than  others. 

Intelligent  Beings  are  capable  of  a  Degree  of  Knowledge 
and  Love  tx^^ly  proportionahle  to  their  jtatural  Powers. 
Angels  are  capable  of  a  Degree  of  Knowledge  and  Love 

greater 


and  diHingiitJhed from  all  Coimterfetts  95-. 

greater  than  Men  :  And  one  Man  of  a  greaterDegree  than, 
another.  As  they  are  otdifferentSizes,  of  larger  and  fmaller 
natural  Powers,  fo  their  Capacities  to  know  and  love  are 
fome  greater,  and  ibme  lefs.     So  it  is  among  good  and  bad. 

Ail  that  Perfe5fion^  which  God  requires  of  any  of  his 
Creatures,  is  a  Meafure  of  Knowledge  and  Love  bearing  an 
exa^  Proportion  to  their  natural  Abilities.  Since  God  has 
manifefted  what  he  is,  in  his  Works  and  Ways,  and  fince  he 
is  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is,  and  has  an  origi- 
nal and  entire  Right  to  his  intelligent  Creatures  ;  therefore 
he  requires  all  Angels  and  Men  to  attend  diligently  to  the 
Difcoveries  which  he  has  made  of  himfelf,  and  learn  what 
he  is,  and  behold  his  Glory,  and  love  him  with  all  their 
Hearts.  This  is  the  Extent  of  what  God  requires  of  the 
higheft  Angel  in  Heaven,  and  this  is  exactly  what  he  re- 
quires of  all  the  Children  of  Men  upon  Earth. 

The  Eaw  requires  7io  more  than  this  of  Mankind  under 
a  Notion  that  their  natural  Povv^ers  are  leiTened  by  the  Fall. 
Whether  we  are  Beings  of  as  large  natural  Powers  as  we 
fhould  have  been,  had  we  never  apoftatized  from  God,  or 
no,  yet  this  is  plain,  we  are  no  where  in  Scripture  blamed 
for  having  no  larger  natural  Powers,  nor  is  any  more  ever 
required  than  all  the  Heart  and  all  the  Soul  and  all  theMlnd 
antt  all  the  Stre?tgth.  This  is  evident  thro'  the  whole  Bible. 

And  the  Law  requires  no  lefs  of  Mankind  under  a  No- 
tion that  they  are  turned  Enemies  to  God  and  have  no 
Heart  or  Inclination  to  love  him.  Be  it  lb,  that  Mankind 
are  ever  fo  averfe  to  attend  to  thofe  Manifeftations,  which 
God  has  made  of  himfelf,  and  ever  fo  averfe  to  take  in 
right  Notions  of  God,  and  ever  fo  far  from  a  Difpofition  to 
account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is,  and 
from  an  Inclination  to  love  him  with  all  their  Hearts  -,  yet 
the  divine  Law  makes  no  Allowances,  no  Abatements,  but 
infills  upon  the  fame,  the  very  fame  it  ever  did.  l^houjhalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  Heart.  \^vx 

Indeed,  fome  do  dream,  that  the  Law  is  very  much 
abated. —  But  what  faith  the  Scriptures  as  to  this  Point  ? 
Does  the  Word  of  God  teach  lis  that  there  is  any  Abate- 
ment made  ?  Where  do  we  read  of  it  ?  W  here  is  it  plainly 
^iTerted,  or  in  what  Texts  i.s   i^t.  .i^Bplied  ?  Truly  I  know 

nothing 


g6  True  Religion  de/meated         Dis.  I. 

nothing  like  it  in  all  Bible,  nor  what  Text  of  Scripture 
this  Notion  can  be  built  upon. —  And  belidts,  if  the  Law  is 
abated,  ivLcn  was  it  abated  ? —  Was  it  abated  immediately 
upon  Adcimh  Fail  ?  Surely  no.  For,  above  two  Thoufand 
If  ears  after  from  Mount  Shmi  God  declared,  that  he  re- 
quired finlefs  Periedtion,  and  threatncd  a  Curfe  againft  the 
Man  that  fiiould  tail  in  the  leait  Point.  Ey:cd,  20.  Deut,^^, 
26. — Was  it  abated  upon  Chrift's  coming  into  theVv^orld  ? 
Surely  no.  For  he  in  the  (Irongeft  Terms  taught  his  Dif- 
ciplcs  that  it  was  in  full  Force,  and  that  it  was  their  Duty 
to  be  perfedly  holy,  and  that  in  defigned  Oppofition  to 
the  Dodrine  of  the  Pharifees^  who  in  efie6l  held  that  the 

Law   was  abated.  Matt,  5.  17 — 48. W^as  it  abated 

after  Chriil's  Death  and  Fiefurreclicn  ?  Surely  no.  For  St. 
P^«/  always  taught  that  the  Chriflian  Scheme  of  Religion, 
which  he  prer.chcd,  did  not  make  void,  but  rather  eftablifh 
the  Law.  Rom,  3.  31.  and  St.  "James  infifted  upon  it,  that 
it  muft  not  be  broke  in  any  one  Point.  Jarn.  2.  10. — W^hen 
was  it  abated  therefore  \  Why,  fays  Chrift,  ^ill  Heaven  and 
Earth  fhall  pafs  aica)\  cne  Jet  cr  Tittle  cf  the  Lasju  JImU  in 

no  wife  fail.  Mat.  5.  18. And  befides,  if  the  Law  is 

abated,  in  "johat  F articular^  is  it  abated  ?  And  hciv  great 
are  the  Abatements  ? —  Are  there  any  Abatements  made  in 
our  Duty  to  God  ?  Surely  no  •,  for  we  are  ftill  required  to 
love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  more  than  this  never  wa3 
demanded. —  Or  are  any  AbatemiCnts  made  in  our  Duty  to 
our  fellow- Men  ?  Surely  no.  For  we  are  ftill  required  to 
love  our  Neighbour  as  our  felves,  and  more  than  this  never 
was  enjoined. — Cr  is  there  any  Abatement  made  in  the  in- 
ternal Part  of  our  Duty  ?  Surely  no.  For  the  whole  Heart 
is  ftill  required,  and  mxore  than  this  never  was  infifted  up- 
on.— Or  finally,  is  there  any  Abatement  made  in  the  exter- 
nal Part  of  our  Duty  ?  Surely  no.  For  we  are  ftill  required 
to  be  holy  in  all  Manner  of  Converfation^  as  he  that  has  called 
us  is  Holy.  (  I  Pet.  i.  15. )  And  more  than  this  was  never 
required.  So  that  from  the  whole,  we  have  as  much  Reafon 
to  think,  that  the  Law  requires  finlefs  Perfection  now^  as 
that  ever  it  did.  Yea,  this  P.  int  cannot  be  plainer  than  it 
is  •,  for  the  Law,  in  fad,  is  the  very  fame  it  was  from  the 
Beginning,  Word  for  Word,  without  the  leaft  Alteration. 

Thou 


•     anddijli7i9^tiijhed  from  all  Count  erf eits.  97 

^hcu  flmll  love  the  herd  thy  God  with  all  thy  Hearty  &c. 
And  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  fdf.  So  that  if  it  ever  did  require 
rmlefs  Pefedion,  it  docs  new. 

The  higheil  Pi:ch  of  Holinefs,  the  Saints  in  Heaven  will 
ever  arrive  to,  will  only  be  to  love  God  with  all  their 
Hearts  *,  and  exa6lly  the  very  fame  is  required  of  every 
Man  upon  Earth.  And  it  was  becaufe  St.  Paul  underftood 
the  Law  in  this  Senfe,  that  he  had  always  fuch  a  mean  and 
low  Opinion  of  all  his  Attainments  :  for  while  he  compared 
what  he  was^  with  what  he  ought  to  he^  he  plainly  faw  how 
the  Cafe  flood  :  And  therefore  he  fays.  The  Law  is  fpiri" 
tiial.,  hut  I  am  carnal^  fold  under  Sin.  O  wretched  Man  that 
I  am  !  Rom.  7.  14,  24. 

So  that  upon  the  whole,  this  feems  to  be  the  true  State 
of  the  Cafe  :  As  there  are  various  Capacities  among  all  in* 
telligent  Creatures  in  general,  fo  there  are  among  Men  in 
particular.  Souls  of  various  Sizes,  fome  of  larger  natural 
Capacities,  and  fome  of  fmaller.  But  Souls  of  different 
Capacities,  are  capable  of  different  Degrees  of  Love.  A 
Degree  of  Love  exadly  equal  to  the  natural  Capacity  of 
the  Soul,  is  Perfedion  :  And  this  is  what  the  Law  requires, 
nor  more,  nor  lefs  :  ail  the  Heart,  all  the  Soul,  all  the  Mind, 
all  the  Strength.  The  Saints  and  Angels  in  Heaven  do 
love  God  thus,  and  hence  they  are  perfedb  in  Holinefs  ; 
and  fo  far  as  we  Ml  fnort  of  this,  we  are  finful.  This  is 
the  exacb  Rule  of  Duty. 

And  now,  this  Law  is  hoiy,Jufi^  and  good.  The  Thing 
required  is  in  its  own  Nature  right  and  fit  and  fuitable. 
God  is  worthy  to  be  loved  with  our  whole  Hearts,  and 
this  is  jufl  what  is  required.  'Tis  right  we  fhould  have  a 
Degree  of  Love  to  our  felves,  and  'tis  right  we  (hould  love 
our  Neighbours  as  cur  felves^  but  it  is  fit  we  fhould  love 
God  with  all  our  Hearts.  Confidering  what  he  is,  and  what 
we  be,  it  is  in  its  own  Nature  infinitely  fit  and  right ;  and 
not  to  do  fo,  infinitely  unfit  and  wrong. —  Indeed,  God  is 
worthy  of  an  infinitely  greater  Degree  of  Love  than  we  or 
any  of  his  Creatures  are  capable  of.  He  only  is  capable  of 
a  compleat  View  of  his  ov/n  infinite  Glory,  and  of  a  full 
Senfe  of  his  own  infinite  Beauty,  and  of  a  Love  perfedly 
adequate  to  his  own  Lovelinefs.     And  he  does  not  require 

H  or 


^8 


T^rue  Religion  delineated         Dis.  L 


or  expedt  any  of  his  Creatures  to  love  him,  to  that  Degree 
he  loves  himfelf.  Only  as  he  loves  himieli  with  all  his 
Heart,  fo  he  requires  and  expccbs  that  they  love  him  with 
all  their  Hearts.  And  there  being  the  fame  Reafon  for 
one  as  for  the  other,  the  Law  is  therefore  in  its  own  Nature 
perfedlly  right  and  juft  and  equal. —  Indeed,  had  God  re- 
quired the  moft  exalted  of  his  intelligent  Creatures  to  have 
loved  him  in  the  fame  Degree  that  he  himfelt  does,  then  the 
Thing  required  would  in  its  own  Nature  have  been  abfo- 
lutely  impofiible,  and  what  he  could  have  no  Reafon  to 
expedl.  Or  if  he  had  required  the  meanefl  of  his  intelligent 
Creatures  to  have  loved  him  in  the  fame  Degree  that  Ga- 
briel does,  it  would  have  been  a  Thing  naturally  impofTible. 
But  now  he  only  requires  every  one  to  love  him  with  all 
their  Hearts^  this  is  rights  perfedlly  right.,  juft  and  equal, 
Lefs  than  this  could  not,  in  Juftice,  have  been  required  of 
each  one  j  in  Juftice,  I  mean,  to  the  Deity,  who  ought  to 
have  his  Due  from  each  one,  and  whofe  proper  Right,  the 
Governour  of  the  World,  ought  to  aflert  and  maintain. 

Thus  we  fee  the  Law  is  exactly  upon  a  Level  with  our-- 
natural  Capacities  ;  it  oily  requires  us  to  love  God  with  all 
our  Hearts  :  and  thus  we  fee,  that  the  Law  is  therefore 
perfedly  reafonable,  juft  and  equal.  Deut.  lo.  12.  And 
now,  IJrael,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee.,  but 
to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God.,  to  walk  tn  all  his  PFays.,  and  to  love 
Him,  and  to  ferve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  ALL  thy  Hearty 
and  with  ALL  thy  Soul  ? 

Hence,  as  to  a  natural  Capacity,  all  Mankind  are  capa- 
ble oi  a  perfedt  Conformity  to  this  Law.  For  the  Law 
requires  of  no  Man  any  more  than  to  love  God  with  all 
his  Heart.  The  finning  Angels  have  the  fame  natural 
Capacities  now  as  tl.cy  had  before  they  fell  ^  they  have  the 
fame  Faculties,  called  the  Vnderftanding  and  Will  •,  they  are 
Hill  the  fame  Beings  as  to  their  natural  Powers.  Once 
they  loved  God  with  all  their  Hearts  -,  and  new  they 
hate  him  with  all  their  Hearts.  Once  they  had  a  great 
Degree  of  Love  j  now  they  have  as  great  a  Degree 
of  Hatred.  So  that  they  have  the  fam.e  natural  Capacities 
now  as  ever.  Their  Temper  indeed  is  different  •,  but  their 
Capacity  is  the  fame.  And  therefore  as  to  a  natural  Capa- 
city, 


anddijlinguiped from  all  Counterfeits.  915 

cisy^  they  are  as  capable  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to  the  Law 
oi  their  Creator  as  ever  they  were.  So  Adam^  after  his  Fall, 
iiad  the  fame  Soul  that  he  had  before,  as  to  its  natural  Ca- 
paciiies^  tho'  of  a  very  different  'Temper.  And  therefore 
in  that  Refped:,  was  as  capable  of  a  perfe6l  Conformity  to 
this  Law,  as  ever. —  And  it's  plainly  theCafe,  that  all  Man- 
kind, as  to  lYitvcnatural  Capacities,  are  capable  of  z  peried 
Conformity  to  the  Law,  from  this,  that  wherr  Sinners  are 
converted  they  have  no  new  natural  Faculties,  tho'  they 
have  a  new  Temper.  And  when  they  come  to  love  God 
with  all  their  Hearts  in  Heaven,  ftill  they  will  have  the 
fame  Hearts,  as  to  their  natural  Faculties,  and  may  in  this 
Refpect  be  juftly  looked  upon  as  the  very  fame  Beings. 
In  this  Senfe,  Paul  was  the  fame  Man  when  he  hated  and 
perfecuted  Chrift,  as  when  he  loved  him  and  died  for  him  : 
and  thcit  fame  Heart  that  was  once  fo  full  of  Malice,  is  now 
as  full  of  Love  :  So  that,  as  to  his  natural  Capacities,  he 
was  as  capable  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to  this  Law,  when 

he  was  a  Perfecutor,  as  he  is  now  in  Heaven. When 

therefore  Men  cry  out  againft  the  holy  Law  of  God,  which 
requires  us  only  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  fa}\ 
^'  It  is  not  jiifl  for  God  to  require  more  than  we  can  do, 
"  and  then  threaten  to  damn  us  for  not  doing,"  they 
ought  to  ftay  a  while  and  confider  what  they  fay,  and  tell 
wliat  they  mean  by  their  CAN  DO  ;  for  it  is  plain,  that 
the  Law  is  exactly  upon  a  Level  with  our  natural  Capaci- 
ties, and  that  in  this  Refpect  we  artfully  capable  of  a  per- 
fect Conformity  thereto.  And  it  will  be  impolTible  for  us 
to  excufe  our  felves  by  an  Inability  arifing  from  any  other 
Quarter  ;  as  will  prefently  appear.     For  to  return. 

From  what  has  been  laid  we  may  learn,  that  there  can 
be  nothing  to  render  it,  in  any  Meafure,  a  hard  and  difficult 
Thing,  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts,  but  our  being 
deftitute  of  a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  and  having  a  Temper 
that  is  wrong  :  and  that  therefore  we  are  perfe^ly  inexcufa- 
hk,  and  altogether  and  wholly  to  blame,  that  we  do  not. 

Ob  J.  But  I  do  not  knowGod  -,  how  therefore  can  Hove  him  ? 

Ans.  Were  you  of  a  right  Temper,  it  would  be  your 
feature,  above  all  Things,  to  attend  to  thofe  Difcoveries, 
which  he  has  made  of  himfelf,  in  his  Works  and  in  his 

H  2  Word  -, 


lOO  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

Word  ;  you  would  fearch  for  the  Knowledge  of  him  as 
Men  fearch  for  Silver,  and  as  they  dig  for  hid  Treafure  : 
And  were  you  of  a  right  Temper^  it  would  be  natural^  to 
take  in  that  very  Reprefentation  which  God  has  made 
of  himfelf. —  And  now  was  it  but  your  Nature,  to  attend, 
with  all  your  Heart,  to  the  Difcoveries  v/hich  God  has 
made  of  himfelf ;  and  your  Nature,to  take  in  right  Notions 
of  him,  it  would  be  impofiible,  but  that  you  fnould  know 
what  God  is  :  becaufe  he  has  a^ed  cut  all  his  Perfedlions 
fo  much  to  the  Life,  and  exhibited  fuch  an  exa^  Imaee  of 
himfelf.  The  Works  of  Creation  and  Redemption,  and  all 
his  Condudl  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World,  fliew  jufl; 
what  a  kind  of  Being  he  is.  He  has  difcovered  his  infinite 
Underflanding  and  almighty  Power,  and  he  has  fhewn  the 
Temper  of  his  Heart,  and  all  in  fo  plain  a  Manner,  that 
were  it  your  Nature  to  attend  and  confider  and  take  in 
right  Notions,  it  is  quite  impolTible,  but  that  you  fhould 
know  and  fee  plainly  "uuhat  God  is. 

Ob  J.  But  if  I  have  right  Notions  of  ivhat  God  is^  yet  I 
cannot  fee  his  Glory  and  Beauty^  in  being  fuch  \  hew  therefore 
can  I  love  him  ? 

Ans.  Were  you  of  a  right'Tcniper^w.  would  be  yoMrNaturc 
to  account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  he  is.  As 
it  is  the  Nature  of  an  ambitious  Man  to  fee  a  Glory  in 
Applaufe,  and  of  a  worldly  Man  to  fee  a  Glory  in  the 
Things  of  the  World  :  So  it  would  be  your  Nature,  to  fee 
a  Glory  in  God.  For  what  fuits  our  Hearts,  naturally  ap- 
pears excellent  in  our  Eyes.  {J oh.  8.  42,-47.) 

Obj.  But  I  feel  that  I  cannot  love  him  ;  how  therefore  am 
I  wholly  to  Blame  ? 

Ans.  The  Fault  is  in  him,  or  in  you.  Either  he  is  not 
lovely,  or  elfe  you  are  of  a  very  bad  Temper  :  but  he  is 
infinitely  lovely  ;  and  therefore  it  is  only  owing  to  the  bad 
Temper  of  your  Heart,  and  to  your  being  deilitute  of  a 
right  Temper,  that  you  cannot  love  him  -,  and  you  there- 
fore are  wholly  to  Blame.  Indeed  you  could  not  but  love 
him,  were  you  not  a  very  fordid  Wretch. 

Obj.  But  to  love  God^or  to  have  any  Difpofiiion  to  love  him^ 
is  a  ning  SUPERNATURAL,  clean  beyond  the  Powers  of 
Nature  improved  to  the  utmqjl  :  how  can  I  therefore  be  wholly 
to  Blame  ?  "  Ans. 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits,   i  o  i 

Ans.  It  is  a  Thing  fupernahcral^  you  fay  ;  /.  ^.  in  other 
Words,  you  have  ?w  Heart  to  it^  nor  the  leaft  Inclination 
that  Way,  nor  is  there  any  Thing  in  your  Temper  to  work 
upon  by  Motives  to  bring  you  to  it :  and  now  becaufe  you 
are  fo  very  bad  a  Creature,  therefore  you  are  not  at  all  to 
Blame.  This  is  your  Argument.  But  can  you  think  that 
there  is  any  Force  in  it  ?  What  !  Are  moral  Agents,  the 
lefs  to  blame,  the  worfe  they  grow  ?  And  are  God's  Law!s 
no  longer  binding,  than  while  his  Subjects  are  difpofed  to 
gbey  them  ^ 

Obj.  But  after  all  I  muft  needs  reply ^  as  Nicodemus  in 
another  Cafe,  Hew  can  thefe  l^hiyigs  he  ? 

Ans.  Why  did  not  the  Jews  love  their  Prophets,  and 
love  Chrift  and  his  Apoilles  .^  What  was  it  owing  to  ? 
And  where  did  the  Blame  lie  .^  They  were  acquainted  with 
them,  heard  them  talk  and  preach,  and  faw  their  Condu6t, 
and  could  not  but  plainly  perceive  their  Temper,  and  know 
what  Sort  of  a  Difpofition  they  were  of,  and  what  Sort  of 
Men  they  were.  And  yet  they  did  not  like  them,  but  they 
hated  them,  they  belied  them,  flandered  and  reproached 
them,  and  put  them  to  Death.  And  now  what  was  the 
Matter  ?  What  was  the  Caufe  of  all  this  ? —  Were  not 
their  Prophets,  and  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  indeed  lovely 
and  worthy  of  their  hearty  Efteem  ?  Did  not  all  that  they 
faid  and  did,  manifeft  them  to  be  fo  ?  Why  then  did  they 
not  love  them  p  Was  it  not  wholly  owing  to  their  not 
having  a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  and  to  their  being  of  fo 
bad  a  Difpofition  ?  And  were  they  not  wholly  toBlame  ? — • 
They  might  fay  of  Chrift,  ^hat  they  could  fee  no  Form  nor 
Comelmefs  inhim^wherefore  theyfhould  defire  him  :  And  where 
no  Beauty  is  feen,  it  is  impofTible  there  ftiould  be  any  Love, 
But  why  did  not  he  appear  moft  amiable  in  their  Eyes  ? 
And  why  were  their  Hearts  not  ravifh'd  with  his  Beauty  ? 
His  Difciples  loved  him,  and  Martha  and  Mary  and  Laza- 
rus loved  him,  and  why  did  not  the  Scriks  and  Pharifees 
love  him  as  much  ?  Why,  becaufe  his  Perfon  and  Doc- 
trines did  not  fuit  them,  and  were  not  agreeable  to  the 
Temper  of  their  Hearts.  The  bad  Temper  of  their  Hearts 
made  him  appear  odious  in  their  Eyes,  and  was  the  Caufe 
gf  all  their  Ill-wiU  towards  him.   And  now,  were  thcv  U"? 

H  3  '    .  - 


r02         T'riie.  Religion  deli7teated       Dis.  I. 

to  Maine  for  this  bad  Temper,  and  for  rJl  this  their  bad 
Feelings,  arxd  bad  Carriage  tovvards  Chrift  thence  arifing  ? 
Yes,furely,  if  ever  any  Men  were  to  blame  for  any  Thing.-^ 
And  now  if  God  the  Father  had  been  in  the  fame  Circum- 
fiances  asGod  the  Son  was  then  in,he  would  not  have  been 
loved  a  Jot  more  or  treated  any  V/hit  better  than  he  was. 
Indeed  it  was  that  Image  and  Refemblance  of  the  infinitely 
glorious  and  blelled  God,  which  was  to  '  be  feen  in  their 
Prophets,  in  Chiiil  and  his  Apofllcs,  which  was  the  very 
Thing  they  hated  them  for.  Therefore  Chritl  fays, 
He  that  hateth  w-e^  hateth  my  Father  alfo. —  But  now  have 
they  both  feen  and  hated^  both  me  and  my  Father,  (  Joh.  15. 
2^^,  24.)  And  Chrift  attributes  it  entirely  to  their  want  of 
a  right  Temper,  and  to  the  bad  Difpofition  of  their  Hearts, 
that  they  did  n^ove  him  &  love  hisDo6cnnes.  If  Gcd  'were 
your  Father^ you  "d^ould  love  me.  (  Joh.  8.  42. )  /i^  that  is.  cf 
God  (of  aGod-likeTemper)  hearethOcd' slVcrds :  ye  therefore 
hear  them  noty  hecaufe  ye  are  not  of  God.  (  >\  47. )  In  Truth, 
the  Bottom  of  all  your  Enmity  is,  that  you  are  cf  your  Fa- 
ther the  Bevil^  i.  e.  of  juil  fuch  a  Temper  as  he.  (  y-.  44.  ) 
And  now,  what  think  you,  when  Chrilt  comes  in  flaming 
Fire,  to  take  Vengeance  on  an  ungodly  World,  will  he 
blame  the  Scribes  and  Fbarifees  for  not  loving  him  with 
*li  their  Hearts,  cr  no  ?  Or  will  he  excufe  the  Matter,  and 
lay  on  ti:eir  Behalf,  ^bey  could  fee  no  Form  7ior  Cctnelinefs  in 
TAC^  I  appeared  very  odious  to  thein^  they  could  net  love  nie^ 
they  could  7iot  hut  hate  me^  and  no  Man  is  to  blame  for  7tct 
doi::g  m:rc  tb:in  he  CAN? 

From  tlie  Vv-Iiole  it  is  plain,  that  Mankind  are  to  blame, 
^rhoily  to  blame,  and  perfectly  inexcufable,  for  their  no: 
.lavini^;  rlgiit  Apprchcnilcns  of  Gcd,  and  for  their  not  hav* 
ing  a  Scnfe  of  iiri  Glory  in  being  vvhat  he  is,  and  for  their 
not  lovirig  Ivim  with  ail  their  Hearts  ;  becaufe  all  is  Owing 
meerly  to  thr:ir  v/aiit  of  a  right  Temper,  and  to  the  b%d 
DifrjoJition  of  their  Flearts.  Y^y 

Indeed,  if  we  were  altogether  of  fuch  a  Temper,  Frame 
vindDifporir.ion  of  i-Ieart  as  we  ought  to  be,  it  would  be  ai- 
togcilicr  as  caly  and  naturji  to  loveGod  with  all  ourHearts, 
OS  it  is  ior  die  moll  dutifulCluld  to  love  a  tender  and  valu- 
ubk  Parent.  For  God  is  rcaiiy  infinitely  amiable  ;  and  wer^ 

we 


and  diliinguijhed fro7n  all  Counterfeits  103 

we  of  Rich  a  Temper,  he  would  appear  fo  in  our  Eyes ; 
and  did  he  appear  lb  in  ourEyes,we  could  not  but  love  him 
with  all  ourHearts,&  delight  in  him  with  all  ourSouls  •,  and 
it  would  be  mod  eafy  &  natural  fo  to  do.  For  noMan  ever 
found  anyDifficultyin  loving  that  which  appears  very  amia- 
ble in  hisEyes.  For  the  Proof  of  which  I  appeal  to  theExpe- 
rience  of  allMankind. — And  now, why  does  notGod  appear 
infinitely  amiable  inourEyes  ?  Is  it  becaufe  he  has  not  clearly 
revealed  what  he  is,  in  his  Works  and  in  his  Word  ?  Surely 
no.  For  the  Revelation  is  plain  enough.  Is  it  becaufe  he 
is  not  infinitely  amiable  in  being  what  he  is  ?  Surely  no. 
For  ail  Heaven  are  ravifhed  with  his  infinite  Beauty.  What 
is  it  then  that  makes  us  blind  to  the  infinite  Excellency  of 
the  divine  Nature  ?  W^hy,  it  can  be  owing  to  nothing,but 
to  a  bad  Temper  of  Mind  in  us,  and  to  our  not  being  of 
fuch  a  Difpofition  as  we  ought  to  be.  For  I  appeal  to  the 
Experience  of  all  Mankind,  whether  thofe  Perfons  and 
Things,  which  fuit  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts,  do  not 
naturally  appear  amiable  in  their  Eyes. —  And  certainly  if 
God  does  not  fuit  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts,  it  is  not 
owing  to  any  Fault  in  him,  but  the  Fault  muft  be  wholly 
in  our  felves.  If  the  Temper  and  Difpofition  of  God  (f,  e, 
his  moral  Perfc6tions, )  be  not  agreeable  to  our  Temper 
and  Difpofition,  mofl;  certainly  our  Temper  and  Difpofition 
is  very  wrong.  If  God  were  your  Father,  ye  would  love  me  ; 
but  ye  are  of  your  Father  the  Devil,  therefore  you  hate  me. 
(Jok  8. 42, 44,)  ;'.  e.  *'  If  you  were  of  a  Temper  like  God, 
ye  would  love  me,  but  being  of  a  contrary  Temper,  hence 
you  hate  me.  If  you  were  of  a  right  Temper,  I  ihould 
appear  amiable  unto  you  j  and  it  is  wholly  owing  to  your 
bad  Temper,  that  I  appear  otherwife.  If  ye  were  Abraham*^ 
Children^  ye  would  do  the  Works  of  Abraham'''  (  /.  39.  ) 

O^j.  But  be  it  fo,  yet  I  cannot  help  being  of  fuch  %  "Temper 
as  I  am  of  •,  how  therefore  am  I  wholly  to  Blame  ? 

Ans.  You  have  as  much  Power  to  help  being  of  fuch 
a  Temper,  as  the  Scribes  and  Pharifees  had  •,  but  Chrift 
judged  them  to  be  wholly  to  Blame,  and  altogether  inex- 
cufable.  They  could  not  like  Chrift  or  his  Do6trine  ;  Te 
CJNNOT  hear  my  Word,  fays  Chrift.  ( :i^.  43. )  but  their 
CANNOT^  their  Inability  was  noExcufe  to  them  in  Chrift*s 

H  4  Account  > 


104       True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  L 

Account  :  Becaufe  all  their  Inability,  he  plainly  faw,  arofe 
from  their  bad  Temper,  and  their  want  of  a  good  Difpofi- 
tion.  And  alth..'  they  had  no  more  Fewer  to  help  being 
of  fiich  a  Temper  than  you  have,  yet  he  judged  them 
wholly  to  blame,  and  altogether  inexcufable.  i^Joh,  8.  33 — 
47.  Job.  15.  22 — 25.)  And  now  we"  know,  that  his  Judg- 
ment is  according  to  'Truth. But  in  order  to  help  you 

to  fee  into  the  Reafon  of  the  lliing,  I  deiire  you  fenoufly 
and  impartially  to  confider, 

I.  That  Sinners  are  free  and  voluntary  in  their  bad  Temper, 
A  wicked  World  have  difcovered  a  very  ilrong  Difpofition 
to  hate  God,  even  from  the  Beginning.  And  the  Jeivijh 
Nation,  God's  own  peculiar  People,  of  whom,  if  of  any, 
we  might  hope  for  better  Tilings,  w^ere  fo  averfe  to  God 
and  his  Ways,  that  they  hated  and  murdered  the  MelTen- 
gers  v/hich  he  fent  to  reclaim  them,  and  at  lad  even  mur- 
dered God's  own  Son. —  And  now,  v/hcnce  was  all  this  ? 
Why,  from  the  exceeding  bad  and  wicked  Temper  of  their 
Hearts.  They  have  hated  ?nezvithout  a  Caiife.  Joh.  15.  25. — 
But  did  any  ^od.y  force  them  to  be  of  fuch  a  bad  Temper  ? 

Surely  no  •,  they  were  hearty  in  it. Were  they  of  fuch 

a  bad  Temper  againft  their  JVills  ?  Surely  no  •,  Their  JViUs^ 
their  Hearts  were  in  it.  Yea,  they  loved  their  bad  Temper, 
and  loved  to  gratify  it ;  and  hence  .were  mightily  pleafed 
with  their  falfe  Prophets,  becaufe  they  always  propheficd 
in  their  Favour,  and  fuited  and  gratified  their  Difpofition. 
And  they  hated  whatfoever  was  difagreable  to  their  bad 
Temper,  and  tended  to  crofs  it  •,  and  hence  were  they  fo 
enrao-ed  at  the  preaching  and  the  Perfons  of  their  Prophets, 
of  Chrift  and  his  Apoilles.  So  that  they  were  manifefliy 
voluntary  and  hearty  in  their  bad  Temper.  fFe  have  loved 
Strangers  and  after  them  we  WILL  go.  Jer.  2.  25.  But  t:^ 
for  theS^ord  which  thou  haft  fpoken  unto  us  in  the  Narr^e  cf 
tjoc  Lord,  we  IVILL  NOT  hearken  unto  thee.  Jer.  44.  16, 
Aid  the  L')rd  God  of  their  Fathers  fent  to  them  by  his  Meffcn^ 
gcrs^rifing  up  betimes,  and  fending  •,  becaufe  he  had  Compcjfion 
en  his  People,  and  on  his  Dw  el  ling-Place  :  but  they  -mocked 
the  Melfengers  of  God^  and  defpifed  his  IVords^  and  mifufcd  his 

Propheh,  &c.  2  Cron.  36.  15,  16. And  fo  all  wicke4 

Meii  a^-e  as  vohyitary  in  their  bad  Temper  as  they  w§rc. 

The 


a7id  dijlinguifpcd  from  all  Cotmterfeits,    105 

The  Temper  of  the  Mind  is  nothing  but  the  habitual  Incli- 
nation of  the  Heart.  But  an  involuntary  Inclination  of  the 
Heart  is  a  Contradidion.  And  the  ilronger  any  IncHnation 
isjthe  more  full  and  free  the  Heart  andSoulis  intheThing. 
Hence  the  bad  Temper  or  the  habitual  bad  Inclination  of 
the  Devil  is  at  the  fartheft  Diilance  from  any  Compulfion ; 
he  is  moil  perfectly  free  and  hearty  in  it.  And  all  finful 
Creatures  being  thus  voluntary^  free  and  hearty  in  the  bad 
Temper  of  then-Minds  i  or  in  other  Words,  the  bad  Tem- 
per of  the  Mind  being  nothing  but  the  habitual  Inclination 
oi  the  Hearty  hence  ail  mufc  be  to  Blame  in  a  Degree  equal 
to  the  Strength  of  their  bad  Inclination. —  In  a  Word,  if 
we  were  continually  forced  to  be  of  fach  a  bad  Temper, 
entirely  againji  our  TVills^  then  we  fnould  not  be  to  Blame  ; 
for  it  would  not  be  at  all  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts :  but  fo 
long  as  our  bad  Temper  is  nothing  elfe  but  the  habitual 
Franie^  Bifpofttion  and  Inclination  of  our  OWN  HEARTS, 
without  any  Manner  of  Compulfion,  we  are  perfedlly 
withoutExcufe,  and  that  whether  we  can  help  being  of  fuch 
a  Temper,  or  no.  For, 

2.  If  a  finful  Creature's  not  being  able  to  help  his  being  of 
a  had  Temper^  does  in  the  leaft  free  him  fromBlafne  •,  then  the 
more  vile  and  finful  any  Creature  grows  ^  the  lefs  toBlame  will 
he  he :  Becaufe  the  more  vile  and  finful  anyCreature  grows, 
the  ieis  able  is  he  to  help  his  being  of  fo  bad  a  Frame  of 
Heart. —  Thus,  if  a  Man  feels  a  bad  Spirit  towards  one  of 
his  Neighbour's  creeping  into  his  Heart,perhaps  if  he  im- 
mediately refills  it,  he  may  be  able  eafiiy  to  overcome  and 
iupprefs  it  ;  but  if  he  gives  Way  to  it,  and  fuiTers  it  to 
take  llrong  hold  of  his  Heart  j  if  he  cherilhes  it  until  it 
grows  up  into  a  fettled  Enmity,  and  keeps  it  in  his  Heart 
for  twenty  Years,  feeking  all  Opportunities  to  gratj^  it,by 
backbiting,  defaming,  &c.  it  will  now,  perhaps,  flpclean 
out  of  his  Power  to  get  rid  of  it,  and  effedually  root  it 
out  of  hisHeart.  It  will  at  leaft  be  a  very  difHcultThing. — 
Now  the  Man  is  talked  to,  and  blamed  for  backbiting  and 
defaming  his  Neighbour,  Time  after  Time,  and  is  urged 
to  love  his  Neighbour  as  himfelf,  but  he  fays,  he  cannot 
love  him, —  But  why  can't  you  ?  For  otherMen  love  him. — 
lV}:>y  he  appears  in  my  Eyes  the  moft  odious  and  hateful  Man  in 

the 


io6  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  World. Yes,  but  that  is  owing  to  your  own  bad 

Temper. —  Well.,  hut  I  can't  help  my  Temper^  and  therefore 

I  am  not  to  Blame. Now,  it  is  plain  in  this  Cafe,  how 

weak  the  Man's  Plea  is  -,  and  even  common  Senfe  will 
teach  all  Mankind  to  judge  him  the  more  vile  and  blame- 
worthy, by  how  much  the  more  his  Grudge  is  fettled  and 
rooted.     And  yet  the  more  fettled  and  rooted  it  is,  the 

more  unable  is  he  to  get  rid  of  it. And  jull  fo  it  is  here. 

Suppofe  a  Creature  loved  God  with  all  his  Heart,  but  after 
a  while  begins  to  feel  his  Love  abate,  and  an  Averfion  to 
God  fecretly  creeping  into  his  Soul ;  now  perhaps  he  might 
eafily  fupprefs  and  overcome  it.  But  if  he  gives  Way  to 
it,  until  he  lofes  all  Senfe  of  God's  Glory,  and  fettles  into 
a  State  of  Enmity  againft  him,  it  may  be  quite  impoflible 
ever  to  recover  himfelf.     And  yet  he  is  not  the  lefs,  but 

the  more  vile,  and  fo  the  more  blame- worthy. li'  then 

we  are  fo  averfe  to  God,  that  we  cannot  love  him  •,  and  if 
our  bad  Temper  is  fo  ftrong,  fo  fettled  and  rooted,  that  we 
cannot  get  rid  of  it ;  this  is  fo  far  from  being  Matter  of 
Excufe  for  us,  that  it  renders  us  fo  much  the  more  vile, 
guilty  and  Hell-deferving.  For  to  fuppofe  that  our  Ina- 
bility in  this  Cafe  extenuates  our  Fault,  our  Inability  which 
increafes  in  Proportion  to  our  Badnefs,  is  to  fuppofe  that 
the  worfe  any  Sinner  grows,  the  lefs  to  Blame  he  is.  Than 
which,  nothing  can  be  more  abfurd. 

Ob  J.  But  I  was  brought  into  this  State  by  Adam's  Fall. 

Ans.  Let  it  be  by  Adarn^  Fall,  or  how  it  will  •,  yet 
if  you  are  an  Enemy  to  the  infinitely  glorious  God  your 
Maker,  and  that  voluntarily  ;  you  are  infinitely  to  Blame, 
and  without  Excufe.  For  nothing  can  make  it  right  for  a 
Creature  to  be  a  voluntary  Enemy  to  his  glorious  Creator, 
or  pofflbly  excufe  fuch  a  Crime.  It  is  in  its  own  Nature 
infinlHy  Wrong  ;  there  is  nothing  therefore  to  be  faid  ; 
you  fland  guilty  before  God. —  It  is  in  vain  to  make  this, 
or  any  other  Pleas,  fo  long  as  we  are,  what  wc  are  not  by 
Compulfion,  but  voluntarily.  And  it  is  in  vain  to  pretend 
-that  we  are  not  voluntary  in  our  Corruptions,  when  they 
are  nothing  elfe,  but  the  free,  fpontaneous  Inclinations  of 
our  own  Hearts.  Since  this  is  the  Cafe,  every  Mouth  will 
he  flopped^  and  all  the  World  become  guilty  before  Gody  fooner 
or  later. — r-  Thus 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   107 

Thus  we  fee,  that  as  to  a  natural  Capacity  all  Mankind 
are  capable  of  a  perfect  Conformity  to  God's  Law,  which  re- 
quires us  only  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  ;  and  that 
ail  our  Inability  arifes  mcerly  from  the  bad  Temper  of  our 
Hearts,  and  our  want  of  a  good  Difpofition  ;  and  that 
therefore  we  are  wholly  to  blame  and  altogether  inexcufable. 
Our  Impotency,  in  one  Word,  is  not  natural^  but  morale 
and  therefore  iailcad  of  extenuating^  does  magnify  and  in-^ 
hance  our  Fault.  The  more  unable  to  love  God  we  are,  the 
more  be  we  to  Blame.  Even  as  it  was  with  the  JewSy  the 
greater  Contrariety  there  was  in  their  Hearts,  to  their  Pro- 
phets, to  Chrift  and  his  Apoilles,  the  more  vile  and  blame- 
worthy were  they.  *  And  in  this  Light  do  the  Scriptures 
conftantly  view  the  Cafe.  There  is  not  one  Tittle  in  the 
Old  Teftament  or  in  the  New,  in  the  Law  or  in  the  Gof- 
pcl,  that  gives  the  leail  Intimation  of  any  Deficiency  in  our 
natural  Faculties.  The  Law  requires  no  more  than  ALL 
our  Hearts,  and  never  blames  us  for  not  having  larger  na- 
tural Capacities.  The  Gofpel  aims  to  recover  us  to  love 
God  ONLY  with  ALL  our  Hearts,  but  makes  no  Provi- 
ilon  for  our  having  any  new  natural  Capacity.     As  to  our 

natural 

*  Ob  J.  But  fays  a  fecure  Sinner,  Surely  there  is  no  Contrariety  in  tnyHeart 
to  Gody  I  jie^cer  hated  God  in  my  Life,  I  alnva-^s  lo'ved  him. 

Ans.  The  Scribes  and  Pharifees  verily  thought  that  they  loved  God,  and 
that  if  they  had  lived  in  the  Days  of  their  Fathers,  they  would  not 
have  put  the  Prophets  to  Death.  They  were  altogether  infenfible 
of  the  perfe£l  Contrariety  of  their  Hearts  to  the  divine  Nature.  And 
whence  was  it  ?  Why,  they  had  wrong  Notions  of  the  divine  Being, 
and  they  loved  that  falfe  Image  which  they  had  framed  in  their  own 
Fancies.  And  fo  they  had  wrong  Notions  of  the  Prophets  which 
their  Fathers  hated  and  murdered,  and  hence  imagined  that  they 
Diould  have  loved  them.  But  they  faw  a  little  what  a  Temper  and 
Difpofition  Chrift  was  of,  and  him  they  hated  with  a  perfefli^ktred. 
So  there  are  Multitudes  of  fecure  Sinners  and  felf-dcceived  Hy^crites, 
who  verily  think  they  love  God,  neverthelefs  as  foon  as  ever  they  open 
their  Eyes  in  Eternity,  and  fee  juft  what  God  is,  their  Love  will 
vaniih,  and  their  Enmity  break  out  and  exert  it  felf  to  PerfefUon.  So 
that  the  Reafon  Sinners  fee  not  their  Contrariety  to  the  divine  Na- 
ture, is  their  not  feeing  what  God  is. It  muft  be  fo.     For  a 

fmful  Nature  and  an  holy  Nature  are  diametrically  oppofite.  So  much 
as  there  is  of  a  fmfulDifpofition  in  theHeart,fo  much  of  Contrariety  is 
there  to  the  divine  Nature.  If  therefore  we  are  not  fenfible  of  this 
Contrariety,  it  can  be  owing  to  nothing  but  our  Ignorance  of  God,  or 
not  believing  him  to  be  what  he  really  is.  Rom,  7.  8,  9. 


io8  True  Relmon  delineated       Dis.  I. 

o 

natural  Capacities,  all  is  well.  It  is  in  our  Temper,  in  the 
Frame  and  Difpofition  of  our  Hearts,  that  the  Seat  of  all 
our  Sinfulnefs  lies.  Ezek.  12.2.  Son  of  Man^  thou  dwellejf 
in  the  midft  of  a  rebellious  Houfe^  which  have  Eyes  to  fee^  and 
fee  nct^  they  have  Ears  to  hear^  and  hear  not :  for  they  are 
a  REBELLIOUS  Houfe.  This  is  the  Bottotn  of  the  Bufi- 
nefs.  We  have  Eyes  to  fee,  and  Ears  to  hear,  and  his 
Glory  ihines  all  around  us,  in  the  Heavens  and  in  the 
Earth,  in  his  Word  and  in  his  Ways  •,  and  his  Name  is 
proclaimed  in  our  Ears  •,  and  there  is  nothing  hinders  our 
feeing  and  hearing,  but  that  we  are  rebellious  Creatures. 
Our  Contrariety  to  God  makes  us  blind  to  the  Beauty  of 
the  divine  Nature,  and  deaf  to  all  his  Commands,  Counfels- 
Calls  and  Invitations.  We  might  know  God,  if  we  had  a 
Heart  to  know  him  •,  and  love  God,  if  we  had  a  Heart 
to  love  him.  It  is  nothing  but  our  bad  Temper  and 
being  deilitute  of  a  right  Difpofition.  that  makes  us  fpiri- 
tually  blind  and  fpiritually  dead.  If  this  Heart  of  Stone 
was  but  away,  and  a  Heart  of  Flefh  was  but  in  us,  all 
would  be  well.  We  fhould  be  able  enough  to  fee  and  hear 
and  underftand  and  know  divine  Things  j  and  fhould  be 
ravilhed  with  their  Beauty  \  and.  it  would  be  mofl  natural 
and  eafy  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts. 

And  hence  it  is  mofl  evident,that  the  fupremeGovernour 
of  the  World  has  not  the  lead  Ground  or  Reafon  to  abate 
his  Law,  or  to  reverfe  the  Threatning  •,  nor  have  a  rebelli- 
ous World  the  leaft  Ground  or  Reafon  to  charge  God  with 
Cruelty,  and  fay,  "  It  is  not  jufi^  that  he  fhould  require 
"  more  than  we  can  do,  and  threaten  to  damn  us  for  not 
*'  doing."  For,  from  what  has  been  faid,  it  is  manifeil 
that  the  Law  is  holy^juft  and  good.  And  that  there  is  no- 
thingja  the  Way  of  our  perfedt  Conformity  to  it,  but  our 
own  BTickednefs,  in  which  we  are  free  and  hearty  and 
voluntary  ;  and  for  which,  therefore,  in  ftridl  Juftice,  we 
deferve  eternal  Damnation.  The  Law  is  already  exadbly 
upon  a  Level  with  our  natural  Capacities,  and  it  need  no: 
therefore  be  brought  any  lower.  And  there  is  no  greater 
Punilhment  threatened  than  our  Sin  deferves,  there  is  there- 
fore no  Reafon  the  Threatning  fhould  be  reverfed.  As  to 
the  Law,  all  is  well,  and  there  is  no  need  of  any  Alteration. 

^  And 


and difltnguijhed from  all  Counterfeits^  109 

And  there  is  nothing  amiis,  but  in  our  felvcs.  It  is  impu- 
dentWickednefs  therefore  to  fly  in  theFace  ofGod  and  of  his 
holyLaw,and  charge  him  with  Injuftice  &  Cruelty  j  becaufe, 
forfooth,  we  hate  him  fo  bad,  that  we  cannot  find  it  in  our 
Hearts  to  love  him  -,  and  are  fo  high-hearted  and  flout, 
that  we  muft  not  be  blamed.  No,  we  are  too  good  to  be 
blamed  in  the  Cafe,  and  all  the  Blame  therefore  muft  be- 
cafl  upon  God  and  his  holy  Law. —  Yea,  we  are  come 
to  that,  in  this  rebellious  World,  that  if  God  fends  to  us 
the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  thro'  Jefus  Chrifl,  and  in- 
vites us  to  return  unto  him  and  be  reconciled,  we  are  come 
to  that,  I  fay,  as  to  take  it  as  an  high  Affront  at  the  Hands 
of  the  Almighty.  ''  He  pretends  to  offer  us  Mercy,"  (fay 
God-hating,  God-provokingSinners,)  "  but  he  only  mocks 
"  us.  For  he  offers  all  upon  Conditions,  which  we  can- 
'^  not  poffibly  perform." —  This  is  as  if  they  fhould  fay, 
*'  We  hate  him  fo  much,  and  are  of  fo  high  a  Spirit,  that 
"  we  cannot  find  in  our  Flearts  to  return,  and  own  the 
"  Law  to  be  jufl,by  which  we  fland  condemned,  and  look 
"  to  his  free  Mercy  thro'  Jefus  Chrifl  for  Pardon  and  eter- 
^^  nal  Life  •,  and  therefore  if  he  will  offer  Pardon  and  eter- 
"  nal  Life  upon  no  eaficr  Terms,  he  does  but  diffemble 

"  with  us,  and  mock  and  deride  us  in  our  Mifery." 

And  fince  this  is  the  true  State  of  the  Cafe,  therefore  it  is 
no  wonder,  that  even  infinite  Goodnefs  it  felf,  has  fixed 
upon  a  Day,  when  the  Lord  Jefus  fhall  be  revealed  from 
Heaven,  with  his  mighty  Angels,  in  flaming  Fire,  to  take 
Vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that  obey  not 
the  Gofpel  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrifl.  And  then  fball  un- 
godly Smners  be  convinced  of  all  their  hard  Speeches, 
which  they  have  ungodlily  fpoken  againfl  the  Lord.  And 
then  fhall  the  Righteoufnefs  of  all  God's  Ways  be  made 
manifeft  before  all  the  World.  jk 

To  conclude,  God,  the  great  Lord  of  all,  has  threatned 
eternal  Damnation  againfl  all  thofe,  who  do  not  perfe6lly 
keep  the  Law  ^  ( Gal.  3.  10. )  even  al'tho'  they  live  and  die 
in  the  midfl  of  the  Heathen  World.  Rom.  i.  18,  19,  20. 
{  of  which  more  afterwards.)  And  at  the  Day  of  Judgment 
he  will  execute  the  Thrcatiiing  upon  all,  (thofe  only  ex- 
cepted, that  are  by  Faith  intereHed  in  Chrifl  and  in  the 

New- 


no        True  Religion  deli?ieated         Dis.  I. 

New-Covenant : )  and  his  fo  doing  will  evidently  be  juili- 
fiable  in  the  Sight  of  ail  Worlds  on  this  Ground,  viz. 
That  they  were  not  under  a  n^Jural  NecrJ/ity  of  Sinning, 
but  wTre  altogether  ^vV?/??/.r/-_)'  in  theirDirobedience.  Luk.  19. 
27.  But  thofe  7mnc  ENEMIES  iiohixh  WOULD  NOT  that 
IjlooiiU  reign  ever  them,  bring  hither  and  flay  them  before  me. 
And  /fo,  by  the  Way,  is  the  very  Ihing,  which  flops 
the  Mouth  of  an  awakened,  convinced,  humbled  Sinner, 
and  fettles  him  down  in  it,  that  he  deferves  to  be  damned, 
notwithilanding  ail  his  Dei  rigs  \  viz.  that  he  is  what  he  is, 
not  by  Compilfioji^  or  thro'  a  natural  Neceffity,,  but  altoge- 
ther voluntarily. —  There  is  nothing  more  difxicult  in  the 
v/hole  Work  preparatory  to  Converfion,  than  to  make  the 
Sinner  fee  and  feel  and  own,  that  it  is  juft,  quite  iull,  alto- 
gether juft  and  fair,  for  God  to  damn  him. He  pleads, 

that  he  isforryfor  alibis  Sins^and  is  "jvilling  to  fcrfake  them  all 
for  ei'er^  and  is  refclved  always  to  do  as  well  as  he  can.  He 
pleads,  that  he  carit  help  his  Hearfs  hcing  fo  bad,,  that  he  did 
not  bring  himfelf  into  that  Co/iditicn.,  but  that  he  was  brought 
into  it  by  the  Fall  of  Adam,  which  he  could  yict  prjfibly  pre- 
vent^ and  which  he  had  no  Hand  in. But  when  he  comes 

in  a  clear  and  realizing  Manner  to  fee  and  feel  the  whole 
Truth  ;  viz.  That  he  does  not  care  for  God,  nor  defire  to, 
but  is  really  an  Enemy  to  him  in  his  very  Hearty  and  volun- 
tarily fo,  and  that  all  his  fair  Pretences,  and  Promifes, 
Prayers,  and  Tears  are  but  meer  Hypocrify,  arifing  only 
from  Self-love,  and  guilty  Fears,  and  nqercenary  Hopes, — 

NOW  the  Bufinefs  is  done. For  fays  he,   //  matters 

not  how  I  came  into  tins  Condition^  nor  whether  I  can  help 
having  fo  bad  a  Hearty  ftnce  I  am  voluntmly  jufl  fuch  a  one 
as  I  am^  a7id  really  love  and  choofe  to  be  what  I  be.  Rom.  7. 
S,  9.  Sin  revived  and  I  died.  He  feels  himfelf  withoutEx- 
cufe,  .and  that  his  Mouth  is  flopped,  and  that  he  mufl  be 
forced  to  own  the  Sentence  jufl  :  for  he  feels  that  it  is  not 
owing  to  any  Compulfion  or  natural  Neceffity^  but  that  he  is 
voluntarily  and  heartily  fuch  a  one  as  he  is.  And  710W.,  and 
not  till  now^  does  he  feel  himfelf  to  be  a  Sinner,  compleatly 
fo  i  for  he,  all  along  before,  fancied  fome  Goodnefs  to  be 
in  him,  and  thought  himfelf  in  fome  Meafure  excufable. 
And  7iGw^  ar^d  not  till  new.,  is  he  prepared  to  attribute  his 

Salvation 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   1 1 1 

Salvation  entirely  to  free  and  fovereign  Grace.  All  along 
before  he  had  {oiv.tt\i\n%tG  fay  for  himfclf^  like  thcPbarifee. 
But  with  the  Publican,  he  nozv  fees  that  he  lies  at  Mercy. 

Luk,  1 8.  13. This  is  the  very  Thing  that  makes  all 

Mankind  to  blame,  altogether  to  blame,  for  being  what 
they  be,  namely,  that  they  arc  voluntarily  fo  ;  this  is  the 
Reafon  they  deferve  to  be  damned  for  being  fo,  and  this 
when  feen  and  felt  by  the  awakened  Sinner  effedlually  Hops 
his  Mouth. 

And  this  alfo  is  the  very  Thing  that  makes  Believers  fee 
themfelves  wholly  to  blame  for  not  being  perfectly  holy, 
and  lays  a  Foundation  for  their  mourning  for  their  want  of 
a  -perfect  Conformity  to  the  Law.  They  feel  their  Defedls 
are  not  theRefult  of  a  natural  Neceffity^  but  only  of  the  Re- 
mains of  their  old  Averfion  to  God,  which,  fo  far  as  they 
are  unfanclified,   they  are  voluntary  in.  *  And  hence  they 

cry 

*  Ob  J.  "  But  does  not  St.  Paul  fay  in  Rom.  7.  1 8.  To  ^^111,  is  prefent 
*'  ivith  jne  ;  but  hciu  to  perform  that  nAjhich  is  gcod^  I  find  7Wt  .'^" 

Ans.  'Tis  true,  he  had  a  ftrong  Difpofition  to  be  perfeclly  holy,  but  his 
Difpofition  was  not  perfeft.  He  had  a  ftrong  Difpofition  to  love 
God  fupremely,  live  to  him  entirely,  and  delight  in  him  wholly,  but 
his  whole  Heart  was  not  perfedly  difpofed  to  do  fo.  There  was  a 
Spirit  of  averfion  to  God  and  love  to  Sin  remaining  in  him.  In  me, 
that  isy  in  jny  Fle/h,  divells  no  good  Thing.  And  this  was  the  Ground 
and  Caufe  of  all  his  Impotency.  So  that  when  he  fays,  To  ivill  is 
prefent  ^'ith  7ne,  but  ho<nj:  to  jerform  that  'which  is  good  I fijid  not,  h.Q 
means,  "  To  be  in  a  Tydeafure  difpofed  to  love  God  fupremely,  live 
"  to  him  entirely  and  delight  in  him  wholly,  is  natural  and  eafy  :  but 
"  how  to  get  my  whole  Heart  into  the  Difpofition  I  find  not,  it  is 
**  beyond  me,  thro'  the  Remains  of  the  Flelh,  i.  e.  of  my  native 
**  Contrariety  to  God  and  love  to  Sin.'*  Which  remaining  Con- 
trariety to  God,  and  Propenfity  to  Sin,  fo  far  as  he  was  unfanc- 
tified,  he  was  'volufitarj  in  ;  but  fo  far  as  he  was  fandified,  he  per- 
fedly  hated.  With  ?ny  Mind,  I  my  felf  fcr've  the  Laiv  of  God,  but 
ivith  my  Flejh  the  Lauj  of  Sin.  'ver.  25.  And  fo  the  Spirit  lujied 
againfi  the  Flejh,  u)id  the  Flejh  againft  the  Spirit  ;  and  thefe  two  were 
contrary  the  one  to  the  other  ;  and  hence  he  could  not  do  the  Things  that 
he  iKould.  Gal.  5,   17. 

Ob  J.  "  But  does  not  St.  Paul  fpeak  feveral  Times  in  Rom.  7.  as  if  he 
"  was  not  properly  to  blame  for  his  remaining  Corruptions,  when  he 
"  fays,  //  ii  not  I,  but  Sin  that  dn.velleth  in  me  /" 

Ans.  He  only  means,  by  that  Phrafe,  to  let  us  know  that  his  remaining 
Corruption  was  not  the  go'verningPri?iciple  in  him  :  according  to  what 
he  had   faid  in  Rom.  6.  14.    Sin  fhall  not   ha^ve  the   Dominion  onjer 

sou. 


112        True  Religion  delineated  Dis.  I. 

cry  out,  /  am  carnal^  fcld  under  Stn^  0  iirf^cbcd  Man  that  I 
am!  Rom.  7.  14,  24.  And  iet  them  fcives  down  for  ^^^/j 
and  Fcols.  Pfal  .73.  22. 

And  finally,  this  want  of  a  good  Temper,  and  voluntary 
and  flubborn  Averfion  to  God,  and  iove  to  thcmfelves,  the 
World  and  Sin,  is  ALL  that  renders  the  immediate  Influ- 
ences of  the  holy  Spirit,  fo  abfolutely  necefiary,  or  indeed 
at  all  needful,  to  recover  and  bring  them  to  love  God  with 
all  their  Hearts.  A  bare  Reprefentation  of  what  God  is, 
were  Men  of  a  right  Temper,  would  ravilli  their  Hearts  •, 
for  his  Beauty  and  Glory  is  infinite.  'Tis  nothing  therefore 
but  theirBadnefs  that  makes  it  needful  that  there  fhould  be 
Line  upon  Line^and  Precept  upon  Precept.  'Tis  their  Aver- 
fion to  God,  that  makes  any  Perfivaftons  at  all  needful  ; 
for  w^ere  they  of  a  right  I'emper,  they  w^ould  love  God 
with  all  their  Hearts  cf  their  cuc-n  Accord.  And  furely 
were  not  ivlen  very  bad  indeed,  there  would  be  no  Cccafi- 
on  tor  his  Ambalfadors  with  fiich  Earneftnefs  to  befeech 
them.  We  pray  ycu.,  fays  the  Apollle,  in  Chrifi's  Steady  he 
ye  reconciled  to  God.  2  Cor.  5.  20.  Btt  now,  that  all  exter- 
nal Means  that  can  pojfihly  be  ufed,  all  Arguments  and 
Motives  and  Entreaties,  urged  in  the  77icft  force  able  Manner^ 
fhould  not  be  able  to  recover  Men  to  God,  no  not  one.,  in 
all  the  World,  without  the  imjmediate  Influences  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  can  furely  be  attributed  to  nothing  fhort  of 
this,  that  an  apoftate  World  are  in  very  Deed  at  Enmity 
againft  God,  and  their  Contrariety  to  him  is  mightily  fet- 
tled and  rooted  in  their  Hearts  :  mightily  fettled  and  rooted 
indeed^  that  Paul  was  nothing,  and  ylpollos  nothing,  and 
aU  their  moil  vigorous  Efforts  nothing  •,  fo  that  without 
the  immediate  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  not  one,  by 
them,  altho'  the  beft  Preachers,  of  mere  Men,  that  ever 
lived,  could  be  perfwaded  to  turn  to  God.   i  Cor.  3.  7. 

But 

you,  for  ye  are  not  under  the  Laio  hut  under  Grace  :  But  does  not  at  all 
dellgn  to  infinuate  that  he  did  not  fee  himfelf  to  blame,  yea  wholly 

to  blame,   for  his  remaining  Corruption. For  tho'  he  fays  fome- 

times,  //  is  not  I,  but  Sin  that  dixeileth  in  me,  yet  at  other  Times,  /  am 
C£>r7ial,  fold  under  Sin,  t'er.  14.  O  ^wretched  Man  that  I  am,  vcr.  24. 
Like  a  broken-hearted  Penitent.  But  he  could  not  have  mourned  ioT 
his  remaining  Corruption  as  being/»/«/,  if  he  had  not  felt  himfelf  to 
Blame  for  it. 


and  diJ}i7tguiJJjedfrG9H  all  Counterfeits.    113 

But  that  the  World,  fliould  in  Fa6t,  rife  in  Arms,  and  put 
tiie  MelTengers  of  Heaven  to  Death,  feems  to  argue  En- 
Wiity  avA  M^lice^-  even  to  Perfe^fion. —  It  is  Men's  Badnefs, 
ihat  keeps  th^  from  taking  in  right  Apprehenfions  of 
God,  and  that  makes  them  bhnd  to  the  Beauty  of  the 
divine  Nature,  and  that  makes  them  hate  God,  inftead  of 
loving  of  him. ;  but  for  this^  they  would  love  God  of  their 
o'zvn 'Acco7'dy^\t\\o\\i  TiiVj  more  ado.  If  God  were  your  Fa- 
ther ^{{'a,ys  Chrift)  JVC'  would  love  me  •,  ye  are  of  yourFather  the 
Devil^  therefore  ye  hate  me.  Surely  then  all  the  World  are 
inexcufable  and  wholly  to  blame  for  their  continuance  in 
Sin,  and  jiiftly  deferve  eternal  Damnation  at  the  Hands 
of  God,  as  was  before  fald.  Nor  is  it  any  Excufe,  to  fay, 
'^  God  does  not  give  me  fcfficient  Grace  to  make  me 
"  better  •,"  whenas  I  might  love  God,  with  all  my  Heart, 
of  my  own  Accord,  with  all  the  Eafe  in  the  World,  if  I 
were  but  of  a  right  Temper.  Yea,  fuch  is  his  Glory  and 
Beauty,  that  I  could  not  but  be  ravifhed  with  it,  were  I 
fuch  as  I  ought  to  be  •,  and  my  needing  any  fpecial  Grace 
tfo  make  me  love  God,  argues  that  I  am  an  Enemy  to  him, 
a  vile  abominable  Wretch,  not  fit  to  live.  And  to  pretend 
to  excufe  my  felf,  and  fay,  "  I  can't,  andGod  won't  make 
"  me,"  is  juft  as  bad  as  if  a  rebellious  Child  fhould  go  to 
his  good  Father,  and  fay,  "  I  hate  you,  and  can't  love  you, 
"  and  God  won't  by  his  almighty  Power  make  me  better  ; 
•'  and  therefore  I  be  not  to  Blame."  Whenas  the  Wretch 
could  not  but  love  his  good  Father,  were  it  not  that  he  is 

fo  exceedingly  vitiated  in  his  Temper. If  our  Impo- 

tency  confilled  in  and  refulted  from  our  want  of  natural 
Capacities,  if  it  was  the  Bulinefs  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  give 
us  new  natural  Faculties,  then  w^e  might  plead  our  Inabili- 
ty, and  plead  God's  not  giving  of  us  fufficient  Power,  in 
Excufe  for  our  felves.  But  fince  all  our  Impotency  takes 
it's  Rife  entirely  from  another  Quarter,  and  all  our  need  of 
the  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  bring  us  to  love  God 
refults  from  oiir  Badnefs,  therefore  are  we  without  Excufe, 

altho'  God  leaves  us  entirely  to  our  felves. And  indeed 

nothing  can  be  more  abfard,than  to  fuppofe  theGovernour 
of  the  World  obliged  to  make  his  Creatures  love  him,  in 
fpight  of  all  their  Averfion  ,  or  more  wicked,  than  to  lay 

I  the 


114         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

the  Blame^  of  their  not  loving  of  him,  upon  bimy  in  Cafe 
he  does  not.  Jer,  7.  8,  9,  10, 16. 

Ob  J.  But  if  it  he  granted^  that  Mens  natural  Powers  art 
adequate  with  the  haw  of  God^and  fo  they^  as  to  their  natural 
Capacities,  are  capable  cf  a  perfect  Ccnfcrmity  to  the  Law  ; 
and  if  it  be  granted^  that  the  outward  Advantages ^  which  all 
have  who  live  under  the  Gofpel^  are  fufjicient^  were  Men  but 
cf  a  righfTemper^  to  lead  them  to  the  trueKnowledge  ofGcd^  and 
foy  that  all  fuch  are  without  Excufe  :  yet  if  any  Part  of  Man- 
kind do  not  enjoy  fufjicient  outward  Advantages  for  the  true 
Kyiowledge  of  Gcd^  without  which  it  is  impoffible  they  fhould 
either  love  or  ferve  him,  how  can  fuch  juftly  and  fairly  be 
accounted  altogether  to  blame  and  wholly  inexcufable  ?  If  the 
Heathen,  who  have  no  other  outward  Advantages  whereby  to 
gain  the  true  Knowledge  of  Cod,  than  the  Works  cf  Creation 
and  Providence,  do  but  honejlly  improve  what  they  have,  fhall 
not  they  be  accepted,  althd*  they  fall  fhort  of  ftnlefs  Perfe^ion  ? 
or  is  it  right  and  fair,  that  they  fi^ould  he  damned  ? 

Ans.  I  fappofe,  that  thofe  Advantages,  which  all  Man- 
kind do  adlually  enjoy,  would  be  fuHicicnt  to  lead  them  to 
a  true  K;iOv/ledge  of  God,  and  fo  to  love  and  ferve  him, 
were  they  of  a  right  Difpofition,  and  were  it  not  for  the 
Prejudices  that  blind  and  darken  their  Minds,  which  arife 
from  their  Enmity  to   God,  and  Love  to  themfelves,  the 

World  and  Sin.  Rom.  i.  20,  28. And  I  fuppofe,  that 

God,  the  wife,  and  holy,  juft  and  good  Governour  of  the 
World,  is  under  no  natural  Obligation,  to  ufe  any  fuper- 
natural  Means,  for  the  removal  of  thofe  Prejudice  ; 
{Rom.  9.  15.)  efpecialiy  confidering  that  Men  love  them, 
and  are  obftinate  in  them,  and  will  not  let  them  be  removed 
if  they  can  help  it,  as  is  in  Fad  the  Cafe.  Rom,  i.  18,  28. 

Joh.  3.  19. And  I  fuppofe,  that  fince  the  Law  is  holy, 

juft  and  good,  that  nothing  fliorc  of  finlefs  Periedion  can, 
or  ought  to,  pafs  with  the  lupreme  Lawgiver  and  Judge  of 
the "^  Worlds  as  a  Condition  of  Acceptance.  Gal.  3.  10. 

R.om.  3.  20. And  I  fuppofe,  that  God  was  under  no 

Obligations  to  provide  a  Saviour  to  bear  the  Curfe  of  the 
Lav/  and  anfwer  its  Demands  for  any,  fince  all  are  volun- 
tarily at  Enmity  againft  him  and  his  Law.  Rom.  5.  8. — • 
Upon  the  whole,  I  fuppofe,  that  all  Mankind  might  have 

been 


and  di/iinguijhed  frcm  all  Counterfeits,   115 

been  left  in  their  fallen  State,  without  a  Saviour,  or  any 
otfers  of  Pardon  and  Peace,  or  any  fupernatural  Advanta- 
ges  whatfoever  ;  and  that  yet  their  natural  Obligations  to 
love  God  with  all  their  Hearts,  would  have  by  no  Means 
ceafed  -,  and  that  it  would  have  been  perfedly  juft  and 
right  with  God,  to  have  inflidled  eternal  Damnation  upon 

us,  for  our  not  doing  fo.  Rom.  i    18.  &  3.  19. And 

befides,  I  fuppofe,  that  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  might 
have  had  the  Gofpel  preached  to  them,  and  to  this  Day 
enjoyed  it,  had  not  the  World  been  in  Arms  againil  it, 
and  killed  the  MeiTengers  of  Peace,  who  were  fent  to 
carry  the  glad  Tidings  of  Pardon  and  Salvation  round  the 
World.  Mat.  28.  19.  And  I  fuppofe,  that  ftill  in  every 
Age  of  the  Chriftian  Church,  there  have  been  Mmiflers  of 
Chriil,  who  would  gladly  go  to  the  farthefl:  Parts  of  the 
Earth,  to  carry  'the  joyful  News  of  a  Saviour,  were  Men 
but  willing  to  receive  the  News,  and  repent  and  convert 
and  return  to  God :  I  know,  there  are  fuch  in  this  Age. 
From  all  which,  I  fuppofe  that  it  is  right,  fair  and  juil  tor 
God  to  execute  the  Threatning  of   his  Law  according  to 

his  declared   Defign.  Rom,  2.  5,  6. Thus   much   in 

general.     But  to  be  more  particular  : 

I.  It  is  plain,  that  the  Heathen,  as  well  as  the  reft  of 
Mankind,are  under  a  Law  that  forbids  all  Sin  and  requires 
perfed:  Holinefs.  For  the  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  froiiz 
Heaven  againjl  all  Ungodlinefs  and  Unrighieoufmfs  of  Men., 
let  them  be  Jews  or  Gentiles.  Rom.  i.  18.  And  fniceGod 
is  what  he  is,  and  they  his  Creatures,  there  is  the  fame 
general  Ground  and  Reafon  that  they  fhould  love  hirn  with 
all  their  Hearts,  as  that  others  fhould.  And  ic  is  plain, St, 
P^/^/ looked  upon  the  Heathen  underObliga:lons  to  glorify 
God  as  God.,  and  he  thankful .,  Rom.  1.21.  Which  is  the 
Sum  of  what  is  required  in  the  firft  Table  of  the  Law. 
And  none  will  pretend  that  the  Heathen  are  not  obliged 
to  love  their  Neighbours  as  themfelves,  and  ^o  as  they 
would  be  done  by  :  Which  is  the  Sum  of  what  the  fecond 
Table  requires.  So  that  it  is  a  plain  Cafe,  that  they 
arc,  by  the  Law  of  Nature,  obliged  to  the  fame  perfedl 
Holinefs,  which  is  required,  in  God's  written  World,  of 
the  reft  of  Mankind. 

^2  2.    Ir, 


Ii6        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

2.  It  is  plain,  St.  P/zz</ looked  upon   them  as    enjoying 

fufficient  Means  of  Knowledge,  and  fo  to  be  without  Ex- 

cufe. -i^^;».  I.  1 8.  For  the  Wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from 

Heaven,  againft  all  Ungodlinefs  and  Unrighteoufnefs  of  Men, 

who  hold  the  ^ruth  in  Unrighteotifnefs.     "  Who  hold  the 

*'  Truth  in  Unrighteoufnefs,  i.  e.  who,  inftead  of  heartily 

"  receiving  and  loving  and  conforming  to  the  Truth,  do 

"  from  Love  to  their  Lulls,  hate,  and  wickedly  fupprcfs, 

"  all  right  Notions  of  God,  of  Truth  and  Duty,   ftifiing 

"  their  Confciences." —  But  how  do  the  Gentiles  difcover 

thisAverfion  to  the  Truth,who  are  under  noAdvantages  to 

know  it  ? —  "  I  anfwer,"  fays  the  Apoftle,  "  their  Ad- 

**  vantages  are  fufficient.  For  (>f'.  19.)  nat  which  may  be 

*'  k7iown  of  God  is  manifeft  in  them.  i.  e.  The  Perfedions  'Of 

"  God,which  is  all  that  isknowable  of  God,are  difccvcred  to 

''  them ;"  as  he  adds,"  For  Godhathpcwedit  unto  them" — 

But  were  not  the  Perfe6lions  of  God  difcovered  to  them  fo 

darkly,  as  not  to  be  fufficiently  evident  and  perceivable  ?— 

"  Surely  no,"  fays  he;  "  for  (/.  20.)  The  invifihle Things 

"  of  him,  from  the  Creation  of  the  World,  are  CLEARLY 

'•  SEEN,  being  underfiood  by  the  Things  that  are  made,  even 

"  his  eternal  Power  and  Godhead  -,  fo  that  they  are  without 

"  Excufe,  i.  e.  Ever  fince  the  Creation  of  the  World,  the 

*'  Perfedlions  of  God  are  clearly  to  be  feen  in  his  W^orks, 

"  the  Things  which  he  has  made  manifefting  plainly  what 

*'  a  God  he  is  •,  fo  that  thofe,  who  fee  not  his  Perfed'tions 

"  and  are  not  fenfible  of  his  infinite  Glory,can't  plead  their 

*'  want  of  fufficient  outward  Advantages,  in  Excufe  for 

"  their  Ignorance  and  Infenfibility,  and  therefore  the  Hea- 

"  then,whQ  have  this  Advantage,  are  without  Excufe."  * — 

And 

*  If  it  fhould  be  ohjeBed,  that  St.  ?aul  only  means,  that  'their  Advan- 
tages were  fo  great,  as  to  render  them  inexcufable  in  their  ^rc/5 
Idolatry  and  high-handed  Wkkednefs  ;  becaufe  they  did,  or  might  have 

known  better  than  to  do  fo. It  may  be   eafily   a^ifzvercd  from 

the  1 8th  yerfe,  that  he  means  to  prove  that  they  were  altogether  in- 
excufable, not  only  in  their  grofs  Sins,  but  alfo  in  all  their  VngGdlinefs, 
and  Unrighteoufnefs.  i.  e.  plainly  in  all  their  want  of  a  perfect  Confor- 
mity to  the  moral  Law,  or  Law  of  Nature.  For  the  leafr  Degree  of 
Non-conformity  in  Heart  or  Life  to  the  firft  Table  of  the  Law,  is  fo 
great  «  Degree  of  Ungodlinefs,  and  the  very  leaft  Degree  of  Non-con- 

*  foimity 


and  dijiinguijhedfrom  all  Counterjetts.   117 

And  ftill  farther  to  clear  up  the  Point,  the  Apoftle  fcems 
to  go  on,   as  it  were,  to  fay, —  "  Yea,    it  is  evident  that 

*'  the  prefent  Ignorance  of  the  Gentile  Nations  is  afFeded, 

5«  and  fo  inexcufable,  not  only  from  the  fufficiency  of  their 

*'  prefent  outward  Advantages,  but  alfo  from  xkitxx  former 

"  Mifimprovement  of  the  Advantages  which  they  hereto- 

"  fore  did  enjoy.     Becaufe  {<;.  21.)  when  they  knew  God^ 

"  i.  e.  when   the  Heathen  Nations  formerly  had    right 

"  Notions  of  God  inftilled  into  them,  being  inftrudled  in 

"  the  Knowledge  of  the  true  God,  by  N^ah  and  his  Sons, 

"  from  whom  they  defcended,  yet  then  they  glorified  him 

"  not  as  God^  neither  were  thankful  -,  their  Inftrudions  had 

"  no  Influence  upon  them  to  make  them  holy.     But  they 

•"  became  vain  in  their  Imaginations^   and  their  fooliflo  Heart 

"  was  darkened,  i.  e.  They  foon  fell  off  to  Idolatry,  and 

"  loft  that  Knowledge  of  the  true  God,  in  ^hich  they  had 

"  been  inftruded  and  educated.  For  (ji.  28.)  I^hey  did  not 

"  like  to  retain  God  in  their  Knowledge,  i.  c.  to  remember 

"  thofe  InftruCbions,  which  had  been  given  them,  concern- 

"  ing  the  Nature  and  Perfe6tions  .of  God  :  f  But  they 

I  3  abandoned 

formity  to  the  fecond  Table  of  the  Law,  is  fo  great  a  Degree  of 
Unrighteoufnefs.  And  St.  Paul  is  exprefs  in  it,  that  the  Wrath  of  God 
is  revealed  from  Heaven  againft  ALL  Ungodlitiefs,  &c.  And  in  njer.  21. 
he  is  full  in  it  that  the  Heathen  are  wholly  inexcufable  for  not  gloria 
fying  God  as  Gody  which  is  manifeftly  all  that  the  Law  ever  required.— 
So  that  it  is  plain,  he  does  not  defign,  merely  to  prove  that  they  were 

-  inexcufable  in  their  Idolatry  and  the  grofs  Wickednefs  of  their  Lives  ; 
but  alfo  that  they  were  inexcufable  in,  and  wholly  to  Blame  for,  their 
not  being  perfeBly  holy.  For  they  did,  or  might  have  known,  that  God 
defewedto  he  lonjednxith  alltheirUeart  \  and  theirNeighbour,  asthemfehes. 

•f  And  I  may  add Concerning  the  Seed  of  the  Woman,  the  fromifcd 

MeJJiahy   and  the  Way   of  Salnjation  thro"  him. For,  no  doubt, 

Noah  and  his  Sons  had  heard  of  this  Promife,  and  told  it  to  their 
Pofterity  ;  and  if  they  had  handed  it  down  fafe,  from  Age  to  Age, 
the  Heathen  World  m  ght,  throughout  all  Generations,  have  been  in 
a  falvable  State ;  for  this  Promife  contained  the  Sum  and  Subftance  of 
the  Gofpel.  Uethufelah  lived  tn^o  Hundred  and  forty  Years  in  the 
Days  of  Adam.  Noah  lived  ftx  Hundred,  and  his  Sons  about  a 
Hundred  Years  in  the  Days  of  Methufelah.  And  Ifaac  y^^.^  fifty  Years 
old  before  all  Noah's  Sons  were  dead.  So  that  this  Promife  might 
eafily  have  been  handed  a  long  down  by  Tradition,  and  doubtlefs 
would  have  been  fo,  had  it  been  precious  in  the  Eyes  of  the  Children 
of  Men.  And  afterwards,  farther  Light  might  have  been  obtained 
from  Ifrael,  God's  peculiar  People,  by  the  Gentile  Nations,  had  they 
feally  been  defirous  of  it. 


Ii8  Irue  Relmon  delineated       Dis.  I. 


t> 


"  abandoned  themfelves  to  Idolatry.  (>?'.  23,  25.)  For  which 
"  Caufe^  {jj,  24,  26.)  for  which  Contempt  call  on  God, 
*-'-  Cod  gave  them  up  to  all  Manner  of  Wickednefs.  So  that 
"  the  prefent  extreme  Ignorance,  Biindaefs  and  Wicked- 
"  nefs  of  the  Gentile  Nations,  they  have,  thro'  their  Aver- 
"  fion  to  God  and  Love  to  Sin,  brought  themfelves  into. 
*'  So  that  it  is  manifeft,  they  do  not  defire  the  Know- 
**  ledge  of  God,  but  evidently  hate  all  right  Notions  of 
*^  him  •,  and  fo  are,  beyond  difpute,  withoutExcufe.  V/hich 
*'  was  the  Point  to  be  proved."  Thus  he  proves  that  they 
are  without  Excufe,  becaufe  their  prefent  Advantages  for 
the  Knowledge  of  God  are  fufficient  •,  which  Advantages 
ever  fince  the  Creation  of  the  World  have  been  common 
to  all :  and  becaufe  they  had  once  fuperadded  Advantages 
from  parental  In{lru6bions,  which,  initead  of  well  improv- 
ing;, and  of  carefully  handing  down  from  Generation  to 
Generation,  they  hated  to  remember,  and  fo  foon  forgot. 

And  tliefe  Pajfages  ought  to  be  of  more  Weight  to  de- 
cide tiie  Cafe,becauie  they  are  not  meerly  occafionaiStrokes, 
bu-i  the  Apoille  is  evidently  upon  the  very  fam.e  Point  that 
I  am.  For  from  the  1 8th.  Verfe  of  this  f/rji  Chapter y  to  the 
1 9th.  Verfe  of  the  thirds  He  is  induitricuily  labouring  to 
prove,  that  both  Jews  and  Gevitiks  are  all  under  Sm,  and  fo 
the  "JiMe  World  gvdlty  before  fed.  And  his  Argum.ents  are 
not  fetched  from  Adam^s  firft  Sin^  but  from  comparing 
them  with  the  Law  of  God,  whereby  he  difcovers  their 
Wickednefs  \  all  the  Blame  whereof,  he  entirely  lays  up- 
on them  :  and  becaufe  it  might  have  been  chje^fed,  that 
the  Heathen  World  had  'not  fufficient  Means  cf  Knou  ledge,and 
fo  were  not  wholly  to  blame  and  inexcufable  in  their  'Ncn-con-- 
fonnity  to  the  Law,  He  does  here  defignedly  obviate  the 
Ohje5lio7i^  and  prove  and  declare  them  to  be  without  any 
Excufe  from  that^mrler.  The  Apoille  evidently  takes  it  for 
granted,  that  they  had  fufficient  natural  Powers  to  capaci- 
tate them  for  the  Knowledge  of  God,  and  he  proves  that 
their  outward  Advantages  were  fufficient,  and  fo  he  lays 
the  v/hole  Blame  of  their  Ignorance,  Blindnefs  and  Wick- 
ednefs upon  themfelves  •,  and  finally  fums  them  up,  with 
the  relLt  of  Mankind,  as  having  their  Moutbs  J^opped^  and 
f>a';di7ig  guilty  bcf ere  God.  Chapt^r^  Z'  ^^» 

The 


and  diftinguiped  from  all  Counterfeits.  119 

The  Truth  of  the  Cafe  feems,  in  a  few  Words,  to  lie 
here ;  that  if  Adam  had  never  fell,  the  Works  of  Creation 
and  Providence  had  been  the  Glafs  in  which  he  himfelf, 
and  all  his  Fofterity,  would  have  beheld  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord,  from  Age  to  Age  •,  whereby  ,^m;g-  naturally  of  a  right 
Temper^  they  would  have  been  efFedually  influenced,  to 
love  him,  live  to  him,  delight  in  him,  and  praife  him 
for  ever  ;  or  in  St.  P^/^/V  Words,  'To  glorify  God  as  God^and 

be  thankful. And  I  fuppofe,  that  all  Mankind,   ftill 

having  the  fame  natural  Powers,  and  the  fame  outward 
Advantages,  are  therefore  intireiy  to  Blame  for,  and  wholly 
inexcufable  in,  all  their  Ignorance,  Blindnefs,  and  Wicked- 
nefs  ;  efpecially  confidering  they  perfedly  love  to  be  what 
they  be,  and  hate  to  be  reclaimed,  and  (land  ready  to  refift 
the  Light  when  offered,  and  fhut  their  Eyes  againft  the 
Truth,  from  whatever  Quarter  it  comes. —  The  Heavens^ 
ftill  as  clearly  as  ever,  do  declare  the  Glory  of  the  Lord^  and 
the  Firmament  fl^e-weth  his  handy  work  ;  Day  unto  Day  ut- 
tereth  Speech^  and  Night  unto  Night  fheweth  Knowledge. 
Pfal.  19.  I.  The  natural  F erf e^ions  of  God  are  clearly  to 
be  feen  in  all  his  Works  at  the  firft  Glance,  and  his  moral 
Perfe^ions  would  be  equally  evident,  to  an  intelligent 
Creature  of  a  right  Temper,  at  the  fecond  Thought.  And 
then  his  Glory  would  immediately  fhine  brighter  than  the 
Sun,  and  every  Heart  be  ravilhed  with  his  infinite  Beauty. 
But  fuch  is  our  Alienation  from  the  Deity  in  this  apoflate 
World,  and  fuch  the  vitiated  Temper  of  our  Minds,  that 
while  Angels  fee  the  divine  Glory  in  all  his  Works  {Rev, 
4.  II. )  Men,  fottilh,  brutilh  Men,  tho'  they  have  Eyes 
to  fee,  fee  not  \  but  are  blind  to  the  Manifeflations  which 
God  makes  of  himfelf  •,  becaufe  they  do  not  like  to  have  God 
in  their  Knowledge, 
And  now, 

3.  As  to  the  Heathens  being  accept ed^  for  honeflly  improve 
ing  their  Power 5  and  Advantages  •,  it  is,  in  the  firft  Place^mo^ 
certain  from  St,Paul*s  Account,  that  they  were  at  the  very 
greatefl  Diftance  from  doing  fo. — But  fecondly,  if  they  had 
done  fo,  yea,  if  they  had  difcovercd  fo  good  a  Temper  of 
Mind,  as  perfedly  to  have  conformed  to  the  divine  Law, 
yet  it  is  the  very  Scope  of  all  the  ApofUe's  Reafoning,  in, 

I  4  ^^'^ 


120         %'iie  Religioit  delineated        Dis.  I. 

the  three  firft  Chapters  of  his  Epiftle  to  thcRcmans,  to  prove 
that  by  the  Deeds  of  the  La^u:)  no  Flejh^  neither  Jew  nor  Gen- 
tilcy  can  be  juftified.  And  fince  the  Lav/  is  holy,  juft  and 
good,  it  is  not  indeed  reafonable^  that  any  Thing  fhort  of 
finlefs  Perfeftion,  from  firji  to  lafl^  fhould  pafs  with  tl^e 
righteous  Governour  of  the  World,  as  a  Condition  of  Ac- 
ceptance. Future  Obedience,  let  it  be  ever  fo  pcrfedir,  can 
do  nothing  to  make  Amends  for  former  Ncglecls  :  As  has 

been  already  proved  in  another  Place. But  that  v/hich 

of  it  feif  alone  is  entirely  fufhcicnt  to  fay  in  tiiis  Matter^ 
is,  that  it  is  exprefly  declared  in  Rvni.  i.  i8.  The  JVrath 
cf  God  h  revealed  from  Heaven  agawfi  all  Ungodlinefs  (or 
every  Breach  of  the  firfl  Table,)  and  Unrigbteoiifucfs  (or 
evtry  Breach  of  the  fecond  Table  of  the  Law,)  of  Men  who 
hold  the  Truth  in  Unrighteoufnefs.  Which  Words  are  evi- 
dently defigned,  by  the  Apollle,  to  reprefent  the  Chara^er 
and  State  of  the  Heathen  World.  For  he  fpcnds  the  reft 
of  the  Chapter  in  enlarging  upon  this  Head,  iliewing  liow 
the  Heathen  held  the  Truth  in  Unrighteoufnefs,  and  were 
cxpofed  to  the  Wrath  of  God  for  their  Ungodlmcfs  and  L^;/- 
righteoiifnefs  •,  and  he  concludes  them  all  wnderSin  d.nd  guilty^ 
and  loft  for  ever,  unlefs  they  obtain  JuftiHcation  by  Faith 

in  Chrift.  See  Chapter^  3.  9,  19,  20,  30.  Verfes. Aud 

thus  we  fee  how  all  Mankind  have,  not  only  fufficient  na- 
tural Powers,  but  alfo  fufficient  outward  Advantages,  to 
know  God  and  perfectly  conform  to  his  Law,  even  the 
Heathen  themfelves.  And  that  the  very  Reafon  they  do 
not,  is  their  want  of  fuch  a  Temper  as  they  ought  to  havc» 
and  their  voluntary  rootedEnmity  toGod,and  love  toSin.  * 

An^ 

*  Ob  J.  But  it  u%npjjihle  iluy  ffyculd  lon)e  God  nmth  all  their  Hearts,  if 
they  ha^ce  no  Hopes  of  finding  Fa'vour  in  his  Sight.  For  he  that  ccmeth 
to  God  njuft  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  Rewarder  of  them 
that  diligently  feek  him.  Hcb.   11.  6. 

An'sw.  Com'ng  to  Gody  in  Hcb.  11.  6.  evidently  implies,  not  only  a 
Conformity  to  the  Law,  but  alfo  a  Comj">iiance  with  the  Gofpel.  i.e. 
it  implies  not  only  a  Difpofition  to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts, 
but  alfo  a  trufting  in  him  for  the  divine  Favour  and  eternal  Life 
•:pon  Gofrcl  Encouragements  ;  which  Gofpel-Encouragements  muft 
therefore  be  underflood  and  believed,  or  it  will  indeed  be  impoffible 
*."'<  ro  :ruft  in  him.  But  I  did  not  fay  that  the  Heathen  were  under 
.vulF.cicnt  outward  Advantages  for  an  evangelical  returning  to  God, 

whirhr 


and  dilimguiped  from  all  Counterfeits  121 

And  now  that  they  are  wholly  to  blame  and  entirely  inex- 
cufable,  appears  Hill  in  a  clearef  Light. 

But  bciore  I  leave  this  Point,  I  mull:  make  this  Remark^ 
viz.  That  if  God  looks  upon  the  Advantages  of  the  Hea- 
then fufficient,  no  Wonder  that  he  fo  often  fpeaks  of  the 
Advantages  of  his  own  profefTmg  People,  as  being  much 
more  than  barely  fuiiicient ;  even  altho'  they  enjoy  only  the 
outward  Means  of  Grace,  without  the  inward  Influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  For  if  the  natural  Advantages  of  the 
Heathen  are  fufHcient,  furely  the ///^^r-^^/^r^/ Advantages 
of  thofe  who  enjoy  a  divine  Rcvelation^zxt  much  more  than 
fufHcient.  And  if  the  Advantages  of  thofe  who  enjoy  only 
a  divine  Revelation  are  much  more  than  fufficient,  no  won- 
der then  that  thofe  v/ho  lived  in  the  Days  of  Mofes^  Ifaiah 
and  Chrijl^  are  reprefented  as  veryMonfters  of  Wickednefs, 
for  remaining  blind,  fenfelefs,  impenitent,  and  unholy,fmce 
they  enjoyed  fuch  ^;y^/,  and  fo  many  fuperadded Advdinta.gts, 
No  wonder  therefore,that  Alofes  every  where  reprefents  the 
Children  of  Ifrael^  as  fuch  a  ilubborn,  perverfe,  ftiffnecked, 
rebdiious  People,  (particularly  fee  Bent.  9. )  and  makes  as 
if  theirBlindnefsjSenfelefnefs  and  Impenitency  was  the  moll 

unaccountable 

which  is  what  is  intended  in  Heh.   ii.  6.   but   only  for   a  Compli- 
ance with  the  Law  of  Nature,  which  is  what  is  intended  in  Rom. 

I.    20,    21. 

Ob  J.  Rui  filll,  is  it  not,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  impojjthle  they  Jhould 
love  God,    if  they  have  no  Hopes  of  fading  Favour  in  his  Sight  ? 

Answ.  Let  common  Senf^  decide  the  Cafe.  A  Servant  hates  his 
Mailer  (a  very  good  Man)  without  Caufe,  murders  his  only  Son, 
fteals  a  thoufand  Pounds  of  his  Money,  runs  away  into  a  far  Country, 
ipends  feveral  Years  in  riotous  Living  ;  at  length  he  is  catch'd,  he 
is  brought  Home  to  his  Mafter,  who  is  a  Man  in  Authority,  before 
him  he  has  his  Trial,  is  condemned,  and  has  ho  hope  of  Favour. — 
But  how  does  this  render  it  impoflible,  iti  the  Nature  of  Things,  that 
he  fhould  love  his  Mafter  ?  Why  can't  he  love  his  Mafter  now,  as 
^  \vell  as  ever  he  could  ?  He  has  the  fame  original  Grounds  of  Love 
he  ufed  to  have.  He  ufed  to  love  his  Mafter  :  his  Mafter  is  as  wor- 
thy of  his  Efteeni  as  ever :  He  has  no  Caufe  to  efteem  his  Mafter 
eV  the  lefs,  becaufe  he  himfelf  has  been  fuch  a  Villain,  or  becaufe 
he  is  doom'd  to  die  for  his  Crimes  ;  a  Puniftiment  juftly  due.  To 
diflike  his  Mafter  for  thefe  Things,  would  be  perfedUy  unreafonable. 
Surely,  were  he  but  of  a  right  Temper,  he  could  not  but  take  all  the 
Blame  to  himfelf,  and  juftify  hJs  Mafter,  and  efteem  and  love  him, 
and  be  heartily  forry  for  all  his  Villianies.  He  can  be  under  no  Ina- 
bility ,  but  what  muft  axife  from  a  bad  Heart.    The  Application  is  eafy. 


12  2         True  Religmi  delmeated       D  i  s .  L 

unaccountable  and  inexcufable,  fince  their  Eyes  had  feen, 
and  their  Ears  had  heard,  fuch  Things,  and  their  Advanta- 
tages  had  been  lb  great.  Deut.  29.  2,  3,  4.  And  Mofes  call- 
ed unto  all  Ifrciel^and  fdid  unto  them^  Te  have  feen  all  that  the 
Lord  did  before  your  Eyes^  in  theLandofEgypt^  ««/(?Pharaoh, 
and  unto  all  his  Servants^  and  unto  all  his  Land  •,  (and  that  he 
might  fet  forth  the  Greatnefs  of  the  Things  which  they 
had  feen,  he  adds)  "The  great  'Temptations  which  thine  Eyes 
have  feen^  the  Signs^  and  thofe  great  Mrracles,{d\i  which  have 
been  enough  to  melt  the  Heart  of  a  Stone,  and)  yet  (  as  he 
goes  on  to  fay, )  the  Lord  (  by  all  thefe  Things  which  have 
been  fo  much  more  than  enough,  )  hath  not  given  you  an 
Heart  to  perceive^  and  Eyes  to  fee^  and  Ears  to  hear^  unto  this 
Day  :  All  thefe  Means  have  not  to  this  Day  attained  the 
End,  and  made  you  fee  and  feel  and  know  what  a  God  the 
Lord  is,  and  bring  you  to  love  him  and  fear  him  and  walk 
in  allhisWays.  Mofes  evldendyfpeaks  of  it  as  a  v^vj  flrange 
Thing,  that  they  fhould  be  blind,  fenfelefs,  impenitent  and 
unholy,  after  fuch  Means  and  Advantages,  as  if  they  were 
moil  inexcuf  .blc,  yea,  under  a  very  aggravated  Guilt ; 
whereby  he  piainly  takes  it  for  granted, tl^ a:  their  Advanta- 
ges had  been  7ynich  more  than  fuliicient,  had  it  not  been  for 
their  Want  of  a  right  Temper,  and  their  wicked  Obftinacy 
and  Perverfenefs.  And  yet  he  mentions  none  but  outward 
Means  and  ^w/w^ri  Advantages,  and  dees  not  give  the  leaft 
Intimation  that  they  had  had  any  inward  Afliftance  from 
the  holy  Spirit.  He  does  not  bring  any  fuch  Thing  into 
the  Account,  but  wholly  aggravates  their  Sin  and  their 
great  Inexcufablenefs,  from  the  Confideration  of  their  out- 
ward Helps.  Te  have  feen  all  that  the  Loi'ddid  before  your 
Eyes  in  the  Land  of  Egypt ^  &:c. —  And  no  wonder  he  tho't 
them  fo  very  inexcufable,  fince  God  looks  upon  the  Hea- 
then World  without  Excufe,  in  that  while  the  Heaveyis  de- 
clare the  Glory  of  the  Lcrd^  &c.  they  don't  fee  with  their 
Eyes,  and  perceive  with  their  Hearts,  and  from  a  Senfe  of 
his  Glory,  only  thus  difcovercd,  love  him,  and  live  to  him. 
For  if  their  Adv  antages  are  enough,  furely  the  Advantages 
of  the  Ifraelites  were  much,  very  much^  more  than  enough. 

And  upon  the  fame  Hypothefis,  it  is  no  Wonder  that 
God  looked  upon  the  Cafe  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  a$  he 

did 


and  dijiinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   123 

did,  in  the  Time  of  Ifaiah  -,  who,  from  the  Days  of  Mofes 
even  to  that  Day,  had  from  Age  to  Age  enjoyed  fuch  out- 
ward Advantages  as  they  had,  and  had  had  fuch  outward 
Means  ufed  with  them  •,  and  in  that  Age  enjoyed  fo  g.eat 
an  outwardPriviledge,  as  the  daiiyProphefying  and  Preach- 
ing of  Ifaiaby  Hof:a^  Amos^  and  Micab  -,  who,  fome,  if  not 
ail,  of  them  prophcfied,  as  it  is  very  probable,  forty  or  fifty 
Years  together  at  the  fame  Time,  as  we  may  karn  from  the 
firll  Verle  in  their  feveral  Books,  which  tell  us  when  and 
how  long  they  prophefied,  compared  with  the  Account  we 
have  of  thofc  Kings  Reigns,  in  the  Books  of  the  Kings^  in 
whole  Reigns  they  prophefied. — * —  No  wonder,  I  fay,  God 
fpeaks  as  he  does  in  Ifa.  5.  i, — 7.  My  Beloved  hath  a  Vine- 
yard in  a  very  fruitful  HilL  And  he  fenced  it^  and  gathered 
out  the  Stones  thereof^  and  planted  it  ^cuith  the  choiceft  Vine ^and 
built  a  ^ower  in  the  midft  of  it^  and  alfo  made  a  Wine-Frefs 
there' n,  —  Here  is  reprefented  the  natural  Powers,  and  out- 
ward Advantages  of  God's  People. And  he  looked  that 

it  fhould  bring  forth  Grapes ^  and  it  brought  forth  wildGrapes. 
And  now^  0  Inhabitants  of  Jerufalem,  and  Men  of  Judah, 
judge ^  I  pray  you^  betwixt  me  and  my  Vineyard.  What  could 
have  been  done  more  to  my  Vineyard^  that  I  have  net  done  in 
it  ?  Wherefore  ywhen  Hooked  that  it  fhould  bring  for  thGr  apes  ^ 

brought  it  forth  wild  Grapes  P Here  all  the  Blame  is 

entirely  laid  on  themfclves,  and  their  Condudt  is  confidered 

as  being  inexcufably,  yea,  unaccountably  bad. And 

now  go  to  ;  /  will  tell  you  what  I  will  do  to  my  Vineyard  -,  / 
will  take  away  the  Hedge  thereof^  &c.  Where  nothing 
can  be  plainer  than  that  the  Children  of  Ifrael  are  repre- 
fented, as  enjoying  fufficient  Advantages  for  Fruitfulnefs, 
yea,  Advantages  much  more  than  barely  fufficient,  and  that 
their  proving  as  they  did,  was  unfpeakably  vile  and  God- 
provoking,  and  for  which  they  deferved  utter  Ruin  *,  and 
tor  which  indeed  God  did  afterwards,  according  to  his  de- 
clared Defign,  bring  utter  Ruin  upon  them.  But  all  thofe 
Advantages  were  outward  *,  nor  is  the  inward  AJftftance  of 
ihe  holy  Spirit  any  where  brought  into  the  Account,  when- 
ever the  Grcatncfs  of  their  Advantages  is  fet  forth,  on  Pur- 
pofe  to  fhew  how  aggravated  their  Wickednefs  was  :  but 
thi^.  is  conftantly  the  Charge,  as  in  2  Chron.  ^6.  15,16,17. 
^  And 


1 24       'True  Religion  delineated         D  i  s .  I. 

And  the  Lord  God  of  their  Fathers  fent  unto  them  by  his  Mef- 
fengersy  riftng  up  betimes  and  fending  \  but  they  ynocked  theMcf- 
fengers  ofGod^  and  defpifed  hisJVords^  and  mifufed  his  Prophet  Sy 
until  the  Wrath  of  God  arofe  again§l  his  People^  'till 
there  was  ito  Remedy.  Therefore  he  brought  upon  them  the 
King  of  the  Chaldecs.  Not  becaufe  they  did  not  improve 
the  inward  AfTiftances  of  the  holy  Spirit,  bur  becaufe  they 
did  not  improve  their  outward  Advantages,  did  not  hearken 
to  God's  Meffengers. —  And  in  this  Strain  their  ConfelTions 
ran,  when  God  by  his  Grace  had  brought  them  to  fee  what 
they  had  done.  As  in  Dan.  9.  5,  6.  &c.  We  have  finned ^and 
committed  Iniquity^  and  have  done  'wickedly^  and  have  rebelled^ 
even  by  departing  from  thy  Precept  s^  and  from  thy  Judgments  : 
Neither  have  a?^  hearkened  unto  thy  Servants  the 
Prophets,  which  fpake  in  thy  Name.  The  not  hearkning  to 
them  is  mentioned  as  the  great  Aggravation  :  but  their  notim- 
proving  the  inward  Afiiilance  of  the  Spirit  is  not  brought 
into  the  Account.  See  Neh.  9.  30. —  It  is  evident,  that  the 
Children  of  Ifrael,  confidered  as  a  Nation,  had  not  fpecial 
Grace,  or  the  renewing  fandlifying  Influences  of  the  holy 
Spirit,  as  one  ot  their  Advantages,  from  Jer.  31.  31,32,33. 
Behold  the  Bays  come^  faith  the  Lor  dy  that  I  will  make  a  new 
Covenant  with  the  Houfe  of  Ifrael ^  and  zvith  the  Houfe  of  Ju- 
dahy  not  according  to  the  Covenant  I  made  with  their  Fathers^ 
in  the  Day  I  took  them  by  the  Handy  to  bring  them  out  of  the 
Land  of  Egypt ^  (which  my  (  national )  Covenant  they  brake ^ 
altho'  I  was  as  an  Huflmnd  unto  them^  faith  the  Lord.  )  But 
thisjhall  be  the  Covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  Houfe  of 
Ifraely  after  thofe  Days,  faith  the  Lordy  I  will  put  my  Law  in 
their  inward  Parts,  and  write  it  in  their  Hearts,  and  will  be 
their  God,  and  they  fo all  be  my  People.  Where  the  renewing 
fandifying  Influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  mentioned,  as 
a  peculiar  Priviledge  the  Jewiflo  People,  were  not  entit- 
led unto  as  aNation,  by  that  national  Covenant  which  God 
entered  into  with  them,  as  fuch,  at  Mount  Sinai.  Exod.  19. 
Beut.  5.  and  which  afterwards,  at  the  End  of  40  Years, was 
renewed  at  theBorders  o^Cajiaan.  Deut.2^.  Nor  indeed  were 
there  any  inward  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  at  all,  pro- 
mifed  in  that  national  Covenant,  as  acommonPriviledge,to 
be  by  tbem  in  common  enjoyed.  And  if  they  were  not  en- 
titled 


and  diftinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits,  125 

titled  to  thisPrivilcdge  as  aNation  by  their  nationalCovenant, 
then  there  is  noEvidence  that  they,  as  aNationjdideojoy  it. 
And  therefore  whenGod  fpeaks  as  if  he  had  done  all  for  that 
Nation  that  could  be  done,  he  plainly  has  Refpe6t  only  to 
outward  Mt?^wi, which  were  all  that  they  as  aNation  enjoy'd : 
And,as  to  thcm,h£evidently  had  good  Ground  fo  to  fay,  fince 
he  had  done  fuch  greatThings  forthem,&  fentfuchProphets 
among  them,  and  been  continually  taking  all  Pains,  from 
Age  to  Age,  to  make  them  a  holy  People.  Even  as  we 
are  ready  to  fay  concerning  the  People  of  a  particular  Pa- 
rifh,  where  there  is  a  learned,  godly,  and  fo  a  plain,  fearch- 
iag,  powerful,  enlightning,  faithful  Minifter,  fuch  as  Mr. 
Sbcpard  was  in  his  Day,  JVhat  'more  could  be  done  for  fuch  a 

People^  that  is  not  dene  ? And  therefore  when  Stephen 

charged  the  Jevjs^  that  they  always  refijicd  the  Hcly  Ghofiy 
as  their  Fathers  had  done^  ( in  A5i.  7.  51.  )  he  means  that 
they  had  always  refifted  the  Holy  Ghoil,  as  fpeaking  in 
and  by  their  Prophets,  as  now  they  did  the  fame  Spirit 
that  fpake  in  and  by  him  :  as  is  plain  from  f,  52.  and  as 
is  alfo  evident  from  Neh.  9.  30.  And  befides  there  is  not 
the  leaft  Intimation,  that  thofe  Jews  to  whom  Stephen 
fpoke,  were  under  any  of  the  inward  Influences  of  the  holy 
Spirit,  but  they  feem  rather  to  act  like  Creatures 
wholly  left  of  God.  And  this  Hint  may  help  us  to  under- 
ftand  that  Phrafe  in  Neh.  9.  20.  Compared  with  A'^/zw.  11. 

17. So  that  from  the  whole,  it  is  evident,  that  the 

Children  of  Ifrael^  as  a  Nation,  w^re  in  Ifaiah's  Tim.e 
looked  upon  as  enjoying  Advantages  much  more  than  liif- 
ftcient  for  their  being  a  holy  and  fruitful  People,  had  they 
been  of  a  right  Temper  and  not  fo  wickedly  obilinate  and 
perverfe  in  their  bad  Difpofition  \  and  yet  their  Advantages 
were  only  outward^  and  the  inward  Influences  of  the  holy 
Spirit  are  not  taken  into  the  Account. —  And  well  might 
their  Advantages  be  thus  eileemed  upon  the  forementicned 

Hypothecs Yea,  if  all  Mankind  are  able,  in  refped 

of  their  natural"  Capacities  to  yield  perfed  Obedience,  and 
if  the  Advantages  of  the  very  Heathen  were  fufRcient,  had 
it  not  been  for  the  want  of  a  right  Temper  in  them  and 
for  their  very  badDifpofition5it  is  no  wonder  thatGodfpeaks 
here  concerning  his  peculiarPeople,  whofc  outward  Advan- 
tages 


126  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

tages  were  exceeding  great,  as  if  he  had  had  very  raifed 

Expedlations  of  their  being  a  holy  People. Wherefore 

when  I  looked  it  Jhczdd  bring  forth  Grapes^  brought  it  forth 
wild  Grapes  ?  q.d.  "  I  have  done  all  as  to  outward  Means, 
"  that  could  be  done,  to  make  you  a  holy  People.  Enough, 
"  and  more  than  enough.  And  I  looked  and  expeded 
*'  that  you  ihould  have  been  fo.  And  whence  is  it  that 
"  you  be  not  ?  How  unaccountable  is  it  ?  And  how  great 
"  is  your  Wickedaefs !  And  how  great  your  Guilt !"  For 
it  is  God's  Way,  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  to  fpeak  to  Men, 
after  the  Manner  of  Men,  who  are  wont  to  have  their  Ex- 
pectations of  Fruitfulnefs  raifed,  when  they  fow  or  plant  in 
a  fertile  Soil,  well  manured  and  cultivated.  See  Mat.  2 1 . 

33, — 41.- Juft  fo  a  Mailer  is  went  to  fpeak  to  his 

Servant,  who  is  flrong  and  able  for  Bufinefs,  "  I  looked 
*•  that  you  Ihould  have  done  fuch  a  Piece  of  Work, where- 
*'  fore  is  it  not  done  ?  You  had!  ime  enough  and  Strength 
''  enough."  And  that  altho'  he  knew  in  all  Reafon  before 
Hand,  that  his  Servant  w^ould  not  do  it,  becaufe  of  his 
lazy,  unfaithful  Temper.  1  he  Defign  of  fuch  Speeches 
being  to  reprefent  the  great  Unreafonalkyicfs  and  Iiexiufa- 
7iefs  of  fuch  a  Condud. 

And  finally,  upon  the  fame  Hypothefis,  it  is  no  wonder 
that  JefusChrift  reprefents  the  People  ot  Chcrazin  and5^/i>- 
Jaida  and  Capernaum^  as  enjoying  Advantages  fufficient  to 
have  brought  even  Tyre  and  Sidon  and  Scdcm  toRepentancc, 
which  in  Scripture- Account  are  fome  of  the  moft  wicked 
Cities  in  the  World  ;  and  fo  confequently  more  than  barely 
fufficient  to  have  brought  them  to  Repentance,  who  were 
by  ProfelTion  the  People  of  God.  For  they  had  enjoyed  the 
Miniftry  of  C/^r//?  himlelf,  and  feen  very  many  oi  his  migh- 
ty  Works.  Mat,  11.  20 — 24.  If  the  Advantages  of  the 
Heathen  World  are  fufficient,  well  might  Chrift,  fpeaking 
after  the  Manner  of  Men,  feem  to  be  fo  confident  that  tyre 
and  Sidon  and  Sodom  would  have  repented,  if  they  had  feen 
his  mighty  fForks  :  And  well  might  he  fpeak  as  if  the  Peo- 
ple of  Chorazin  &c.  had  enjoyed  Advantages  more  than 
barely  fufficient,  and  lay  all  the  Blame  of  their  Impe- 
nitency  upon  them,  yea,  and  look  upon  them  as  under  an 
aggravated  Guilt,  and  give  them  fo  heavy  a  Doom. —  And 

yet 


and difiingutped from  all  Counterfeits,   il'j 

yet  nothing  can  be  plainer,  than  that  the  Advantages  which 
they  enioyed  were  only  outward^  for  no  other  are  brought 
into  the  Account  as  Aggravations  of  their  Guiit.  JVo  unto 
thee  Joy  if  the  mlghtyWorks  which  were  donein  ycu^^Q. — He 
does  not  in  the  lead  intimate  as  if  they  had  any  inward 
Help  from  the  holy  Spirit,  but  only  fays  he  has  done  migh- 
ty Works  among  them.  Yea,  in  the  25th.  Verfc  he  plainly 
declares  that  they  were  left  deftitute  oi  fpecial  Grace, 

And  thus,  while  withSt.PW,  we  look  upon  the  Advan- 
tages even  of  iheHeathenWorld,as  fufricientto  lead  them  to 
the  true  Knowledge  of  God  and  a  perfe6b  Conformity  to  his 
L.aw,  but  for  their  Want  of  a  good  Temper,  and  their  vo- 
luntary Averfion  to  God  and  Love  to  Sin  ;  we  eafily  fee 
whence  it  is,  that  the  external  Advantages  of  thofe  who  en- 
joy the  Beneht  of  a  divine  Revelation,  together  with  other 
outward  Means  of  Grace,  are  reprefented,  as  being  much 
mcrethan  barely  fuflicient ;  &  confequently  theirGuiit,in  re- 
maining Impenitent  &Unholy,as  being  doubly  aggravated. 

And  before  I  leave  this  Point  I  muit  make  one  Re?nark 
more,  namely,  that  if  the  Advantages  of  the  Heathen  World 
were  futficient,  but  for  their  want  of  a  good  Temper,their 
voluntary  Averfion  to  God  and  Love  to  Sin,  to  lead  them 
to  the  true  Knowledge  of  God,  and  a  perfedb  Conformity 
to  his  Law,  as  has  been  proved  •,  then  God  was  not  under 
any  natural  Obligations  to  grant  to  any  of  Mankind  any^i/ . 
pernatiiral  Advantages  ,  but  ilill  might  juftly  have  required 
fmiefs  Perieclion  of  all,  and  threatned  eternal  Damnation 
for  the  leafl  Dekdl.  I  fay,  God  was  under  no  natural  OUi- 
gaiions^  i.  e.  any  Obligations  arifing  from  his  Nature  and 
reriectloiis  :  For  he  might,  connilent  with  his  Holinefs, 
Juftice  and  Goodnefs,  have  le^t  all  Mankind  to  themfelves^ 
without  any  fuper natural  Advantages  ;  fince  their  natural 
Advi^ntages  v/tre  fuHjcient,  and  they  were  obilinate  irr  their 
Ignorance,  Blindnefs  and  Wickcdnefs.  Moft  certainlyGod 
^^as  j:ot  bound  to  have  fent  his  Son,  his  Spirit,  his  Word, 
his  -vieueijgers,  and  intreac  and  befeech  thofe,  who  perfedly 
ha.ed  him,  and  hated  to  hear  irom  him,  and  were  dif}X)fed 
to  cruciry  his  Son,  renft  his  Spirit,  pervert  his  Word,  and 
1  i  1  hi^,  'v^cffengers,  to  turn  and  love  him  and  ferA^e  him  ; 
b^:  might,   even  confillent  with  infinice  Goodnefs  it  felf, 

have 


128  True  Religion  delineated       Dis'.^L 

have  let  them  take  their  Courfcjand  go  on  in  the  Way  they 
were  fet  in,  and  have  damned  them  all  at  hiit. 

All  that  the  great  and  glorious  Governour  of  the  World 
requires  of  Mankind  in  theLaw  of  Nature,  is,  that  they  love 
liim  with  all  their  Hearts  and  Souls,   and  live  as  Brethien 
together  in  his  World,  which  is  infinitely  reafonable  in  it 
ftlf,    and  v/hich  they  have  fufHcient  natural  Powers  to  do. 
And  he  has  ilretched  abroad  the  Heavens  as  aCurtain  over 
their  Heads,  which  declare  the  Glory  of  the  Lord,  and  in 
the  Earth  and  in  all  his  Works,  his  Ferfedions    are  clearly 
to  be  feen,  lb  that  all  are  under  fufficicnt  Advantages   for 
the  Knowledge  of  him  •,  but  Mankind  hate  G&^j  and  fay 
unto  the  Almighty,  Depart  from  us,  for  we  do  not  defire 
the  Knowledge  of  thy  Ways  :  And  hence  they  ftili  remain 
Ignorant  of  God,  averfe  to  him,  and  in  love  v/ith  Sin.  And 
now,  I  fay,  it  is  as  evident  as  the  Sun  at  Noon  Day,  that 
God  might  fairly  have  damned  fuch  Creatures,   without 
ufing  any  more  Means  with  them.     His  Law  being  thus 
upon  a  perfecf  Level  with  their  natural  Powers  and  natural 
Advantages,  he  was  not  obliged,  as  he  was    the  righteous 
and  good  Governour  of  the  World,    to  grant  them  any  fu- 
pernatural  AfTiitance,  either  outward,  by  an  external  Reve- 
lation, or  inward,by  the  internal  Influences  of  his  holySpirit. 
And  therefore  it  is,  that  the  great  Ruler  of  the  World,  has 
always  acled  Sovereignly  and  Arbitrarily  in  thefe  Matters, 
bellowing  thefe  fupernaturalFavours  uponvvhom  he  pleafes, 
as  being  obliged  to  none.     Thus  he  has  done  as  to  the  ex- 
ternal Revelation.  Pfal.  147.  19,20.  Hejhewethhis  Word 
unto  Jacob,  his  Statutes  and  his  Judgments  loito  Ifrael ;  He 
hath  not  dealt  fo  with  any  Nation^  and  as  for  his  Judgments 
they  have  not  known  them.     And  thus  he  has  done  as  to  the 
internal  Influences  of  his  Spirit.  Mat.  11.  25,26.  I  thank 
thee^  O  Fat  her, Lord  of  Heaven  andEarth.becaufe  then  hajl  hid 
thefe  mngsfrom  the  wife  and  prudent^  and  haft  revealed  them 
unto  Babes.  Evenfo  Father.,  forfo  it  feemedgcod  in  thy  Sights 
And  thus  God  even  to  this  Day,  as  to  both   outward  and 
inward  Helps,  hath  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy,  and 
Compajfwn  on  whom  he   will  have  Compaffwn.     He  effectually 
fends  the  Gofpel  to  one  Nation  and  not   to  another  j  and 
where  the  Gofpel   is  preached,   he  by  his  Spirit  awakens, 

convinces, 


and  dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    1 2  g 

convinces,  humbles,  converts  whom  he  pleafes,  and  leaves 
the  reft. 

And  thus  the  Objedlion,  from  the  Heathen's  not  having 
fufficient  outward  Advantages,  has  been  anfwered.  And 
from  the  Anfwer,  I  have  taken  Occalion  to  make  thefe 
(I  hope)  not  unprofitable  Remarks ,  &  may  now  feturn  and 
repeat  my  former  Aflertion,  with  ftill  higher  Degrees  of 
AfTurance,  viz.  that  Mankind  are  altogeiner  to  blame  for, 
and  entirely  inexcufable  in,  their  Non-conformity  to  the 
holy  Law  of  God,  and  therefore  juftly  deferve  Damnation  ; 
and  that  even  the  Heathen,  as  well  as  others. 

Thus  have  I  endeavoured,  to  fhew  what  is  the  exa6l 
Meafure  of  Love  and  Obedience  that  God  requires  of  the 
Children  of  Men,  and  that  all  Mankind  have  fufficient 
natural  Powers  and  outward  Advantages,  and  that  all  their 
Blindnefs,  Ignorance  &  Wickednefs  are  voluntary,  chofen 
and  loved.  And  I  have  been  the  larger  upon  thefe  Things, 
in  order  to  clear  up  the  Juftict  of  God  and  his  Law,  and 
the  Grace  of  God  in  his  Gofpel  :  Both  which,  have  been 
fadly  mifreprefented,  by  thofe  who  have  not  aright  under- 
ftood  or  well  attended  to  thefe  Things.  They  have  faid, 
that  it  is  not  juft  in  God  to  require  finlefs  Perfe6tion  of 
Mankind,  or  damn  any  for  the  want  of  it.  They  have  faid, 
that  the  Law  is  abated  and  brought  down  to  a  level  with, 
(I  hardly  know  what,  unlefs  I  call  it,)  the  vitiated  depraved 
Temper  of  an  apoftate  World,  who  both  hate  God  and 
his  holy  Law,  and  want  an  A61  of  Toleration  and  Indul- 
gence to  be  paft  in  Favour  of  their  Corruptions,  that,  at 
Heart,  they  may  remain  dead  in  Sin,  and  yet,  by  a  Round 
of  external  Duties,  be  fecured  from  Damnation  at  laft. 
And  {o  they  have,  Hke  the  Pharifees  of  old,  (M^/.  5.)  de- 
llroyed  the  Law  by  their  Abatements.  And  now  the  Law, 
only  by  which  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin,  being  thus  laid 
afide,  they  are  ignorant  of  their  fmful,  guilty,  helplefs,  un- 
done Eftate  J  and  fo  are  infenfible  of  their  Need  of  the 
fovereign  Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Clirift  to  fave  them, 
and  fancy  they  are  good-natured  enough  to  turn  to  God  of 
their  own  Accord.  And  having  imbibed  fuch  Notions  of 
Religion,  they  eafily  fee  that  the  better  Sort  of  Heathen 
have  for  Subftance  the  fame  Religion  with  themfelvcs,  and 

K  thereiuic 


130         T^rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

therefore  have  equaiCharity  for  them.  Not  being  really  fen- 
fible  of  theirNeed  of  Gofpei -Grace  for  thenifelves,they  have 
full  Charity  fo:  the  Heathen,  who  never  fo  much  as  heard 
of  it.  But  what  I  have  faid  is  fufficient,  I  think,  to  clear 
the  Juftice  of  God  in  his  Lav/,  and  the  Grace  of  God  in 
the  Gofpei,  and  fweep  away  this  Refuge  of  Lies,  by  which 
fo  many  gladly  quiet  their  Confciences^andwofully  deceive 
their  own  Souls.  However,  of  thefe  Tilings  we  ihall  Hill 
have  fome thing  more  afterwards. 

Thus  we  have  gone  thro*  what  was  propofed,  have  con- 
fidered  what  was  implied  in  Love  to  God,  and  from  what 
Motives  we  are  to  love  him,  and  what  Meafure  of  Love  is 
required.  And  all  that  has  been  faid  can't  poflibly  be 
fum'd  up  in  fewer  or  plainer  Words  than  thefe,  Thoiijhalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  Hearty  and  with  all  thy 
SguI^  with  all  thy  Mindy  and  with  all  thy  Strength,  This  is 
tYitfirft  and  great  Commandmejit  \  in  Conformity  whereunto 
the  firft  and  great  Part  of  Religion  does  confift.  And  the 
jicond  which  is  like  unto  it,  being  the  Foundation  of  the 
other  half  of  (this  Part  of)  Religion  (now  under  Confidera- 
tion,-)  is,  Thcujha!t  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  f elf .  Which 
is  what  we  are,  in  the  next  Place,  to  proceed  to  a  Conn- 
deradon  of. 

Section     IV. 

Of  Lo've  to  our  Neighbour. 

II.  'Thoujhall  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  f elf » —  In  w-hich 
Words  we  have,  (i.)  the  Duty  required.  ThoufJjalt  love, 
(2.)  The  original,  natural  Ground  and  Reafon  ot  it  inti- 
mated •,  T'hy  Neighbour,  WhichA^<2;;;^  given  to  our  Fellow- 
Men,  may  lead  us  to  coniider  them,  as  being  what  they  are 
in  theirif^lv^,  and  as  fuftaining  fome  Kind  of  CharaBer  and 
Relation^  with  Regard  to  us.  (3.)  The  Rule  and  Standard 
by  which  our  Love  to  our  Neighbour  is  to  be  regulated  ; 
As  thy  felf.  Here  therefore  we  may  confider,what  is  implied 
in  Love  to  our  Neighbour,  from  what  Motives  we  are  to 
love  him,  and  by  what  Standard  our  Love  is  to  be  regulat- 
<ed,  as  1*0  its  Nature  and  Meafure. 

First, 


and  dijiinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   131 

First,  Let  us  confider  ijohat  is  implied  in  that  Love  to 
cur  Neighbour^  which,  by  the  Law  of  God,  is  required  of 
us.     And  in  general^  it  is  prefuppofed,  or  impHed,  that  we 
have  a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  an  upright,  impartial,  can- 
did,benevolent  Temper,  even  toPerfedion,without  the  leaft 
Tin6i:ure  of  any  Thii^g  to  the  contrary.     For  without  this 
we  fhall  not,  we  cannot,  view  our  Neighbours   in  a   true 
Light,  nor  think  of  them,  nor  judge  of  them,  nor  feel  to- 
wards them,  exadlly  as  we  ought.     A  wrong  Temper,  a 
felfilh,  partial,  uncandid,  cenforious,  carping,  bitter,  ftingy, 
proud  Temper,  will  unavoidably  give  a  wrong  Turn  to  all 
our  Thoughts  of,    and  Feeling  towards,  our  Neighbours  : 
as  is  manifeft  from  the  Nature  of  the  Thing,  and  from  uni- 
verfal  Experience.     Solomon  obferves,  that  as  a  Man  think- 
eth,  fo  is  he.     And  it  is  as  true,  that  as  a  Man  is^  fo  he 
thinketh.     For  out  of  the  Heart,  the  Temper  and  Difpofi- 
tion  of  the  Man,  proceed  his  Thoughts  of,  and  Feelings 
towards,  both  Perfons  and  Things  •,  according  to  our  Sa- 
viour, Mat,  12.  2>Z->  34'  35-  -^^  upright,  therefore  impar- 
tial, candid,  benevolent  Temper,    to  Perfection,  without 
the  leaft  Tindlure  of  any  Thing  to  the  contrary,  is  prefup- 
pofed and  implied  in  the  Love  required  •,  as  being,  in  the 
Nature  of  Things,  abfolutely  neceflary  thereto.     We  muft 
have  a  right  Temper,  and  under  the  Influence  thereof,  be 
perfectly   in   a  Difpofition,  to  view  our  Neighbours  in  a 
right  Light,  and  think  and  judge  of  them,  and  be  affeCled 
towards  them,  as  we  ought,   i.  e.  Tb  love,  them  as  ourfelves. 
Particularly, 
I .  There  is  a  certain  EJleem  and  Value  for  our  Fellow- 
Men,  which  upon  fundry  Accounts  is  their  Due,  that  is 
implied  in  this  Love.  There  are  valuable  Things  in  Man- 
kind.    Some  have  one  Thing,  and  fomc  another.     Some 
haveGifts,  and  feme  have  Grace.  Some  have  five  Talents, 
and  fome  two,and  fome  one.  Some  are  worthy  of  a  greater 
Efteem,  and  fome  lefs,  confidered  merely  as  they  be  in 
themfelvcs.     And  then  fome  are  by  God  kt  in  a  higher 
Station  and  fome  in  a  lower,  fuftaining  various  Characters 
and  ftanding  in  various   Relations.     As  Magiftrates  and 
Subje(5ts,Minifters  and  People,  Parents  and  Children,  Maf- 
ters  and  Servants,  &c.  And  there  is  a  certain  Efteem  and 

K  2  Refped 


132  'T7'tce  Religion .deli7ieatcd       Dis,  L 

Refpe6t  due  to  every  one  in  all  Stations.  Now,  with  a 
dilintereiled  Impartiality,  and  with  a  perfe6l  Candour  and 
a  hearty  Good-will,  ought  we  to  view  the  various  Excel- 
lencies of  our  Neighbours,  and  confider  their  various  Sta- 
tions, Characters  and  Relations,  and  in  our  Hearts  we 
ought  to  give  every  one  their  due  Honour, and  their  proper 
place  ;  being  perieclly  content,for  our  ownParts,tobe  and 
acSt  in  our  own  Sphere,  where  God  has  placed  us  ;  and  by 
ourFellow-Mortals  to  be  confidered,  as  being  juil  what  we 
are.  And  indeed,  this,  for  Subftance,  is  the  Duty  of  every 
one  in  the  whole  Syftem  of  intelligent  Creatures.  As  for 
God  moil  high,  the  Throne  is  his  proper  Place,  and  all 
his  intelligent  Creatures  have  their  proper  Places,  both 
with  Refped  to  God,  and  with  Refped  to  one  another, 
which  Places  every  one  ought  to  take  and  to  acquiefce  in 
with  all  their  Hearts.  "We  have  an  Infbance  of  this  Temper 
to  a  good  Degree  in  David.  Pie  was  fenfible  that  Saul  was 
the  Lord's  Ayicintcd^  and  that  it  became  him  to  render  Ho- 
nour to  whom  Honour  is  due,  and  Fear  to  whom  Fear, 
and  his  Heart  was  tender.  Pleace  David's  Heart  [mote  him^ 
lecaufe  he  had  cut  cff  Saul's  Skirt,  i  Sam.  24.  5.  This  Tem- 
per will  naturally  difpofe  us  to  feel  and  condudl  right.,  to- 
wards our  Superiours,  Inferiours  and  Equals :  And  fo  lay 
a  folid  Foundation  tor  the  Performance  of  all  relative  Du- 
ties. The  contrary  to  all  this,  is  a  proud  &  conceited  Tem- 
per,attended  with  a  Difpofition  to  defpife  Superiours,  fcorn 
Equals,  and  trample  upon  Inferiours  :  A  Temper  to  over- 
value themfelves  &  their  Friends  &  Party,  and  to  underva- 
lue and  defpife  all  others.  Such  do  not  confider  Perfons 
ai:d  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  and  think  and  judge 
and  be  affeded  and  ad  accordingly.  Nor  do  they  confider, 
or  regard  the  ditferent  Stations  in  which  Men  are  fet  by 
God,  or  the  Characters  they  fuftain  by  divine  Appointment. 
They  are  not  governed  by  the  Realbn  of  Things,  and  a 
Senfc  of  what  is  right  and  fit  -,  but  by  their  own  Corrup- 
tions. This  was  the  Cafe  with  Korah  and  his  Company, 
when  they  rofe  up  againft  Mofes  and  Aaroi,  and  faid,  Te 
take  too  much  upcnycu.,  feeing  all  the  Congregation  arc  hoh\ 
every  cne  cf  them^  and  the  Lord  is  among  ths^i.  Num.  16.  3, 
jPride  makes  Superiors  fcornful  in   their  Temper,  and 

tyrannical 


and  di/linguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   133 

tyrannical  in  their  Government  \  and  Pride  makes  Inferi- 
ors envious  in  their  Temper  and  ungovernable  in  their 
Lives ;  and  it  makes  Equals  jealous,  unfriendly,  contenti- 
ous :  In  aWord,  it  lays  a  Foundation  for  the  Neglect  of  all 
relative  Duties,  and  for  a  general  Difcord  and  Confufion 
among  Mankind, 

2.  We  ought  not  only  to  confider,  efleem  and  refpedl 
our  fellow-Men,  as  being  what  they  are,  and  with  a  perfed: 
Impartiality  give  them  their  Due,  in  our  very  Hearts,  ac- 
cording to  what  they  are,  and  to  the  Stations  they  ftand  in, 
being  perfectly  content,  for  our  own  Parts,  with  the  Place 
which  God  has  allotted  to  us  in  the  Syftem,  and  to  be  and 
a6t  in  our  own  proper  Sphere,  and  willing  to  be  confider- 
ed  by  others  as  being  juft  what  we  are  :    but  it  is  far- 
ther implied  in  the  Love  required,  that  we  be  perfe^ly  he-- 
nevolent  towards  them,  1.  e.  That  we  confider  l\\t\v  JVelfare 
and  Happinefs^  as  to  Body  and  Soul,  as  to  Time  and  Eter- 
nity, as  being  what  it  really  is,  and  are  (  according  to  the 
Meafure  of  our  natural  Capacities)  thoroughly   fenfible  of 
its  Value  and  Worth,  and  are  difpofed  to  be  afFeded  and 
a6l  accordingly,  i.  e.  To  be  tender  of  it,  value  and  pro- 
mote it,  as  being  what  it  is  ;  to  long  &  labour  and  pray  for 
it ;  and  to  rejoyce  in  their  Profperity,  and  be  grieved  for 
their  Adverfity  •,  and  all  from  a  cordial  Love,  and  genuine 
good- Will.     The  contrary   to   which,  is  a  felfi/h  Spirit  ; 
whereby  we  are  inclined  only  to  value,  and  feek,  and  re- 
joyce in,  our   own  W~elfare  -,  and  not  care  for  our  Neigh- 
bour's, any  further  than  we  are  influenced  by  Self-love  and 
Self-Intereft.     Which  felfifh  Spirit  alfo  lays  a  Foundation 
iovEnvy  at  ourNeighbour's  Profperity,  and  hard-heartednefs 
in  the  Time  of  his  Adverfity,  and  inclines  us  to  hurt  his 
Intereft,  to  promote  our  own.     To  love  our  Neighbour  as 
our  felves,  makes  it  natural  to  do  as  we  would  be  done  by  ; 
but  a  felfifh  Spirit,  makes  it  unnatural. — Malevolence  ^Malice 
and  Spight  makes  it  even  natural  to  delight  in  our  Neigh- 
bour's Mifery.     And  hence  it  is-  ihat  Revenge  is  fo  fweet, 
and  Backbiting  and  DetroMon  fo  agreeable,  in  this  fallen, 
finful  World. 

3-  I  may  add,  that  fo  far  as  our  Fellow-Men  are  proper 
Objods  of  Delight  and  Complacency^  fo  far  ought  we  to 

K  2  take 


134        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  j. 

take  Delight  and  Complacency  in  them.  And  hence  it  is 
that  the  godly  Man  feels  luch  a  peculiar  Love  to  the  Chil- 
dren of  God,  for  that  Image  of  God  which  he  fees  in  them. 
The  Saints  are,  in  his  Account,  the  Excellent  of  the  Earlh^ 
in  whom  is  all  his  Delight.  Pfal.  i6.  3.  The  godly  Man  is 
of  Chrift's  Temper,  who  faid,  IVhofo ever  Jh all  do  the  Will  of 
my  Father  which  is  in  Heaven^  the  fame  is  my  Brother,  and 
Stfier^  and  Mother,  Mat.  12.  50.  But  wicked  Men  are  of 
another  'Tafie  •,  and  theThings,  the  Tempers  and  Difpofiti- 
tions  in  their  Neighbours,  which  to  them  appear  excellent, 
and  upon  the  Account  of  which  they  delight  in  them,  are 
odious  in  God'sSight.  Luk.16.  15.  Per  that  ivhich  is  highly 
efteemed  amongft  Men^  is  Ahominaiicn  in  the  Sight  of  God, 
For  it  is  the  I'emper  of  wicked  Men,  not  only  to  do  wickr 
edly  themfelves,  but  alfo  to  have  Pleafure  in  others  that  do 
fo  too.  Rom,  1.32.  Thofe  who  are  vain,  or  unclean,  or 
intemperate,  fuit  each  other,  and  take  Delight  in  one  ano- 
ther's Company  :  while  at  the  fame  Time  they  diftafte  and 
difrelifh  thofe  Things  among  Mankind,  which  are  truly 

mofl  worthy  our  Delight. In  a  Word,  we  ought  fo  to 

cfteem  others,  as  to  be  heartily  difpofed  to  treat  them  with 
all  that  Refped  which  is  their  Due  -,  and  to  have  fuch  a 
tender  Regard  for  their  Welfare,  as  to  be  perfedlly  difpofed, 
in  every  Inflance,  and  in  every  Refpe6l,  to  do  as  we  would 
be  done  by  ;  and  to  take  Notice  of  all  their  good  Proper- 
ties, with  that  entire  Friendlinefs  and  perfect  Candor,  as 
may  difpofe  us  to  take  all  that  Delight  and  Complacency 
in  them  which  is  fit.  In  order  unto  all  which,it  is  requifite, 
that  we  be  perfeftly  free  from  any  Tincture  of  Pride,  Sel- 
fifhnefs,  &c.  and  have  our  Hearts  full  of  Humility,  Bene- 
volence, Candour  and  Goodnefs. 
And  now, 
Secondly.  T^^  Motives  by  which  we  are  to  he  influenced^ 
thus  to   love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  are  fuch  as 

thefe. I.  It  is  nght  and  fit  in  it  f elf     As  the  Apoftle 

exhorting  Children  to  ojpey  their  Parents  in  the  Lord,  ufes 
this  Motive,  For  this  is  right.  Eph.6.  i.  The  Ground  and 
Reafon  of  God's  requiring  of  us  to  love  our  Neighbours 
as  our  felves,  is  becaufe  it  is  in  its  own  Nature  right  that 
we  ihould  i  and  this  ought  therefore  to  move  and  influence 

us 


and  dijlingmjlded from  all  Counterfeits.   135 

us'to  do  fo.  There  is  the  fame  generalKtdSoa  why  I  fhould 
love  my  Neighbour,  as  why  I  fhould  love  my  felf.  Lovely 
Things  are  as  worthy  of  being  loved  in  him,    as  in  me  ; 
and  therefore  by  me  ought  in  all  Reafon  to  be  loved  as 
much.     There  is   the   fame  Reafon  why  my  Neighbour 
fhould  be  efteemed  as  being  what  he  is,  and  according  to 
the  Station  he  ftands  in,  as  that  I  Ihould.     To  efteem  my 
felf  above  my  Neighbour,    merely  becaufe   I  am  my  felf ^ 
without  any  other  Reafon,  is  unfit  and  v/rong,  at  firft  Sight. 
So  to  admire  my  Children,  my  Friends,  my  Party,  as  if 
there  v/ere  none  fach,  merely  becaufe  they  arc  niine^  is  un- 
reafonable  and  abfurd.     My  very  word  Enemy  ought,   by 
me,  to  be  confidered  and   efteemed,  as  being  what  he  is, 
with  an  Impartiality  perfectly  difinterefted,  as  well  as  my 
very  beft  Friend.  Good  Properties  are  not  at  all  the  better, 
merely  for  belonging  to  me,  or  to  my  Friends  \  or  the 
worfe,  for  belonging  to  my  Neighbour,  or  my  Enem.y. 
But  it  is  right  I  ihould  view  Things  as  they  be,  and  be 
affeded  towards  them  accordingly.    Indeed,  I  ought  to  be 
fo  far  from  aDifpofition  to  efteem  my  felf  above  others,and 
to  be  prejudiced  in  my  own  Favour  (ftnce  I  am  capable  of 
a  much  m.ore  full  and  intimate  Acquaintance  with  my  own 
Sins  and  Follies  than  with  the  Sins  and  Follies  of  others,) 
that  I  ought  rather   to  be  habitually  difpofed  to  prefer 
others  inHonour  above  my  felf  Rom.  12.  10.  PbiL  2.  3. — 
And  (o  as  to  my  Neighbour's  Welfare  and   Happinefs, 
there  is  the  fame  general  Reafon  why  it  fliould  be  dear  to 
me,  as  that  my  own  ftiould.  His  Welfare  is  worth  as  much, 
in  it  felf,  as  mine.     It  is  as  worthy  therefore,  to  be  valued, 
efteemed,  fought  after  and  rejoyced  in,  as  mine    It  is  true, 
my  .Welfare  is  more  immediately  put  under  my  Care   by 
God  Almighty,  and  fo  it  is  fit  it  fhould,  by  me,  be  more 
efpecially  taken  Care  of.     Not  that  it  is  of  greater  Worth, 
for  being  mine  ♦,  for  it  is  not :  but  only  becaufe  it  is  more 
immediately  put  under  my  Care  by  God  Almighty.    The 
fame  may  be  faid  of  the  Welfare  of  my  Family,  &c.  But 
ftill  my  Neighbour's  Welfare  is  in  it  k\f  as  precious  and 
dear  as  mine,  and  he  is  my  Neighbour,   he  is  FleHi  and 
Blood  as  well  as  I,  and  v/ants  to  be  happy  as  well  as  I,  and 
is  my  Brother  by  Adam  ^  we  are  all  but.  one  great  Family. 

.ths 


136  'True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

the  Offspring  of  the  fame  common  Parents  -,  we  Ihould 
thereiore  all  be  affedted  as  Brethren  towards  one  another, 
love  as  Brethren,  and  feek  each  others  Welfare  moil  ten- 
derly and  affedionately,  as  being  fenfible  how  dear  and 
precious  the  Welfare  of  each  other  is.  This  is  perfe6lly 
right.  And  fo  we  fhould  bear  one  another's  Burthens, 
mourn  with  them  that  mourn,  and  rejoyce  with  them  that 
rejoyce,  as  being  tender-hearted,  cordial  Friends  to  every 
Body.  And  this  from  a  real  Sight  and  Senfe,  that  fuch  a 
Temper  and  Condu6t  is  perfedlly  right  and  fit  in  the  Na- 
ture of  Things. And  whereas  there  may  be   feveral 

Things  in  my  Neighbour  truly  agreeable,  it  is  evidently 
Right  I  fhould  delight  in  thofe  good  Properties,  according 
to  their  real  Worth.  It  is  a  Duty  I  owe  to  my  Neighbour 
the  PofTeflbr,  and  to  God  the  Giver,  of  thofe  good  Gifts. 

2.  But  that  I  fhould  thus  love  my  Neighbour  as  my  felf. 
Is  not  only  in  it's  own  Nature  right,  but  is  alfo  enjoined  up- 
en  me  hy  the  Law  and  Authority  of  God,  the  fupreme  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World.  So  that  from  Love  to  God,  and  from 
a  Senfe  of  his  Right  to  me,  and  Authority  over  me,  I  ought, 
out  of  Obedience  to  him,  to  love  my  Neighbour  as  my  felf, 
and  always,  and  in  all  Refpecls,  to  do,  as  I  would  be  done 
by.  Ard  not  to  do  fo,  is  not  only  to  injure  my  Neighbour, 
but  to  rebel  againfl  God,  my  King  and  Governour,  and  fo 
becomes  an  infinite  Evil.  Hence,  it  is  charged  upon  Ba- 
'vid,  that  by  his  Condud  refpedting  Uriah,  he  had  defpifed 
the  Lord,  and  defpifed  the  Commandment  of  the  Lord  •,  and 
this  is  m.entioned  as  xlit  great  Evil  of  his  Sin.  2  Sam.  12. 
9,  10.  For  he  had  not  merely  murdered  one  of  his  Fellow- 
Worms,  but  lifen  up  in  Rebellion  againft  the  moft  high 
God  :  And  pradlically  faid,  "  I  care  not  for  God,  nor  his 
Authority,  I  love  my  Luft,  and  will  gratify  it  for  all  him." 
And  therefore  when  David  was  bro't  to  true  Repentance, 
the  native  Language  of  his  Soul,  to  God,  was,  Againft 
thee,  thee  only  have  I  finned,  Pfiil.  51.4.  'Tis  Rebellion 
therefore,  'tis  a  defpiftng  the  Lord,  'tis  an  infinite  Evil, 
not  to  love  ourNeighbours  as  our  felves. 

3 .  We  have  not  only  the  Authority,  but  alfo  the  Exam- 
ple of  God,  to  influence  v.s  to  this  great  Duty  of  Love  and  Bene- 
^'olcme,     God  is  Love  j  he  has  an  infiu:;c  Propenfity  to  do 

Good, 


and  dijlingtnjhed from  all  Counterfeits.   137 

Good,  and  that  in  Cafes  where  there  is  no  Motive  from 
without  to  excite  him  •,  yea,  where  there  is  every  Thing 
to  the  contrary.  He  loves  to  make  his  -Sun  rife  and 
Rain  fall  upon  the  Evil  and  Unthankful.  He  loves  to  fill 
the  Hearts  of  all  with  Food  and  Gladnefs  5  and  to  drew 
innumerable  Bleflings  round  a  guilty,  God-hating  World. 
Yea,  out  of  his  great  Goodnefs  he  has  given  his  only  Son 
to  die  for  Sinners,  and  offers  Grace  and  Glory  and  all  good 
Things  thro'  him  :  being  ready  to  pardon  and  receive  to 
Favour  any  poor  guilty  Wretch,  that  will  repent  and  re- 
turn to  him  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.  And  now  for  us,  after  ail 
this,  not  to  love  our  Fellow-Men,  yea,  not  to  love  our  veiy 
worft  Enemies,  is  very  vile.  Since  God  has  fo  loved  us^  'we 
ought  furely  to  love  one  another,  i  Joh.  4.  1 1 .  Since  he 
has  treated  us  his  Enemies  fo  kindly,  we  ought  now  as  dear 
Children  to  imitate  him,  and  love  our  Enemies^  and  blefs  them 
that  ciirfe  us^  and  do  Good  to  them  that  hate  us^  and  pray  for 
them  which  defpite fully  ufeus^  and  perfecute  us^  Mat.  5.  44,4 5 • 
The  infinite  Beauty  in  the  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Nature, 
lays  us  under  infinite  Obligations  to  imitate  it,  in  theTem- 
per  of  our  Minds,  and  in  our  daily  Condu6t.  And  'tis  In- 
gratitude, 'tis  a  Shame,  'tis  abominable Wickednefs,  not  to 
love  our  worfl  Enemies,  and  forgive  the  greatcil  Injuries. 
Since  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  has  treated  us 
Worms  and  Rebels  as  he  has,  one  would  think,  that  after 
all  this,  we  fhould  never  be  able  to  find  a  Heart  to  hate  or 
injure  any  Mortal.  Surely  we  are  under  very  ilrong  Obli- 
gations to  accept  that  divine  Exhortation,  in  Eph.4.31,32. 
Let  all  Bitternefs^  and  fp'rath^  and  Anger ^  anji  Clamour^  and 
evil  Speaking  be  put  away  from  among  youy  with  all  Malice  : 
and  he  ye  kind  one  to  another.,  tender-hearted^  forgiviyig  one 
another.,  even  as  God  for  Chrift^  s  fake  hath  forgiven  you.  And 
(Chap.  5.  ;^.  I.)  Be  ye  Followers  of  God  as  dear  Children. — ' 
Befides  there  are  many  additional  Obligations  to  Love  and 
Benevolence,  and  to  peculiar  Refped  &  Kindnefs  between 
Hufband  and/^/^.  Parents  2indChiidren^  Friend  ^Friend.,^c, 
arifing  from  their  mutualRelations,&Dependences,  &  from 
fpecialKindneffes  already  received,or  hoped  for.  And  now. 
Thirdly,  As  to  the  Standard^  by  which  our  Love  is  to 
be  regulitedy  viz.  Thou  fluk  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy 

fef 


138         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

felf.     In  order  rightly  to  underftand  it,we  muft, — i.  Place 
ourfelves,  fenfibly,  as  in  the  Prefence  ot  the  iniiiiitely  great 
and  glorious  God,  before  whom  all   the  Nations  of  the 
Earth  are  nothing  andlefs  than  nothing  and  vanity,  and  in 
the  Light  of  God's  Greatnefs  and  Glory,  we   muft  take  a 
view  of  our  own  Littlenefs  and  Deformity,    and  fo  learn 
how  we  ought  to  be  affe£led  towards  our  felves  compared 
with  God.     And  as  we  ought  to  love  our  felves,  fo  ought 
we   to  love  our  Neighbour.     And   now   in.  general^    we 
ought  to  be  difpos'd  towards  God,    as  being  what  he 
is,  and  towards  our  Selves  and  Neighbours,  as  being  what 
we  and  they  be.     Particularly^  God's  Honour  in  the  World 
ought  to  appear  infinitely  more  valuable  and  precious  than 
our  own,  and  therefore  our  own  ought  to  feem  as  a  Thing 
of  no  Worth  compared  with  his,  and  as  fuch,  to  be  freely 
parted  with  when  God's  Plonour  calls  for  it.     And  as  free 
fhould  we  be,  to  fee  the  Reputation  of  our  deareft  Friends 
given  up  for  God's  fake.     The  fame  may  be  faid  of  our 
worldly  Intereft  and  of  all  our  worldly  Comforts,   when 
compared  with  God's  Intereft  and  the  Intereft  of  his  Son's 
Kingdom  in  the  World,   and  of  the  worldly  Interefts  and 
Comforts  of  our  deareft  Friends.      All,   both  ours,  and 
their's,is  comparatively  nothing,&  ought  to  appear  fo  to  us. 
Yea,  our  Lives  and  their  Lives,   are  juft  the  fame  Things, 
comparatively,  of  no  Worth,  and  to  be  parted  with  in  a 
Moment,  without  the  leaft  Reludtancy,  when  God's  Ho- 
nour, or  Intereft  calls  therefor. — 2.  In  order  to  a  right  un- 
derftanding  of  this  Standard,we  muftalfo  obferve,  that  our 
Love  to  our  felves  is  habitual^  unfeigned^  fervent^  a5five  and 
permanent.     So  alfo  muft  be  ourLoveto  ourNeighbours. — 
3.  A  regular  Self-love  refpe6ls  all  our  Interefts,  but  efpe- 
cially  our  fpiritual  and  eternal  Intereft.     So  ought  our  Love 
to  our  Neighbours.  —  4.  A  regular  Self-love  naturally 
prompts  us  to  be  concerned  for  our  Welfare   tenderly^   to 
feek  it  diligently  and  prudently,  to  rejoyce  in  it  heartily^  ancf 
to  be  grieved  for  our  Calamities  fincerely.     So   ought  our 
Love  to  our  Neighbours  to  prompt  us  to  feel  and  conduct 
with  Regard  to  their  Welfare. — 5.  Self-love  makes  us  take 
an  unfeigned  Pleafure  in  promoting  our  own  Welfare.    We 
don't  think  it  hard^  to  do  fo  much  for  our  felves.  The  Plea- 
fure 


and  dijimguijhed  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.    139 

fure  we  take  in  promoting  our  Welfare,  rewards  our  Pains, 
The  fame  genuine  kind  of  Love  ought  we  to  have  to  our 
Neighbour  •,  and  fo  to  remember  the  Words  of  the  Lord 
Jefus,  how  he  faid.  It  is  more  bkjfed  to  give  than  to  receive, 
— 6.  We  ought  never  to  fpeak  of  our  Neighbour's  Sins, 
<5r  WeaknefTes,  or  any  way  expofe  him  to  Shame  and  Con- 
tempt in  the  World,  in  any  Cafe  whatfoever,  except  fuch 
wherein  it  would  be  our  Duty  to  be  willing  our  felves  to 
be  fo  expofed  by  him,  were  we  in  his  Circumftances,  and 
he  in  ours.  And  then  we  are  to  do  it,  with  that  fenfible 
Tendcrnefs  for  him,  that  we  could  reafonably  defire  from 
him,  tov/ards  us,  in  a  like  Cafe. 

Thus  then  we  have  briefly  confidered  the  fccond  great 
Command  of  the  Law,  and  fee  what  that  meaneth,  nou 

fljalt  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thy  felf. To  love  God  with 

all  our  Heart,  lays  a  Foundation,  and  prepares  the  Way, 
for  us  to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves.  It  removes 
and  takes  away  thofc  Things  which  are  contrary  to  this 
Love,  fuch  as  Pride,  Selfifhnefs,  Worldlinefs,  a  narrow, 
ftingy,  envious,  revengeful  Temper.  True  Love  to  God 
mortifies  and  kills  thefe  Things  at  Root.  And  fecondly^ 
True  Love  to  God  alTimilates  us  to  the  divine  Nature,  and 
makes  us  like  God  in  the  Temper  of  our  Minds.  But  God 
isLove.  And  the  more  we  are  like  God,  the  more  are  our 
Hearts  therefore  framed  toLove&Benevolence.  HethatdweU 
leth  in  Lovc^  dwelleth  in  God,  ^  God  in  him.  Love  to  God 
fweetens  the  Soul,  &  enlarges  ourHearts  to  love  ourFellow- 
Men.  And  /i?/r^/y,  The  more  we  love  God,  the  more  facred  is 
his  Authority  with  us,  and  the  more  glorious,  amiable  and 
animating  does  his  Example  appear,  and  the  greater  Senfe 
have  we  of  our  Obligations  to  Gratitude  to  him  ;  all  which 
tend  jointly  to  influence  us  to  all  Love  &  Goodnefs  towards 
our  Neighbours.  So  that,  he  that  knows  God  and  loves 
him,  will  be  full  of  Love  to  Mankind.  And  therefore  he 
that  loveth  not.,  knoweth  not  God.,  i  Joh.  4.  8. —  On  the 
other  Hand,  where  there  is  no  true  Love  to  God,  there  is 
no  true  Love  to  Mankind  ;  but  the  Heart  is  under  the  Go- 
vernment of  Pride,  Selfiflinefs,  and  other  Corruptions, 
which  are  contrary  to  Love.  So  that  a  genuine  Love  to 
Mankind  is  peculiar  to  the  godly,   i  Joh.  4.  7,  8. 

And 


140        True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

And  now  from  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  evidently  fee, 
thefe  following  Sorts  of  Love  to  our  Neighbour,  are  nei- 
ther of  them  the  Love  required,  however  nearly  they  may 
fometimes  feem  to  refemble  it. 

1 .  What  is  commxonly  called  natural  CompaJJion^  is  not 
the  Love  here  required.  For  the  moil  wicked  profarre 
Man  may  be  of  a  very  compaflionate  Temper  :  So  may 
the  proud,  the  felfifli,  the  envious,  the  malicious  &  fpight- 
ful  Man  :  As  Experience  plainly  fhews.  And  befidcs,  na- 
tural Companion  does  not  take  its  Rife  from  any  Senfe  of 
the  Rectitude  and  Fitnefs  of  Things,  or  any  Regard  to 
the  divine  Authority,  but  merely  from  the  animal  Confti- 
tution  :  And  Men  feem  to  be  properly  paffive  in  it.  It  is 
m.uch  the  fame  Thing  in  the  humane,  as  in  the  brutal  Na- 
ture. It  is  therefore  a  different  Thing  from  the  Love  here 
required. 

2.  The  fame  may  be  faid  of  what  is  called  Good-Nature, 
It  arifes  merely  from  animal  Conftitution,  and  is  not  the 
Love  here  required.  For  fuch  a  Man  is  not  influenced  in 
his  Love  by  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things,  or  the  Au- 
thority of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  or  from  a 
Confideration  of  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Na- 
ture, any  more  than  the  Beafts  are,  who  are  fome  of  them 
much  better  tempered  than  others.  So  that  this  Sort  of 
Love  has  nothing  of  the  Nature  of  Religion  in  it.  And 
it  is  evident  that  many  wicked  &  ungodly  Men  have  much 
of  this  natural  Good-temper,  who  yet  have  no  Regard  to 
God  or  Duty.  Yea,  a  fecret  Grudge  againlt  a  Neighbour, 
reigning. in  the  Heart,  may  be  in  the  good-natur'd  Man, 
confiftent  with  his  Good-nature  -,  but  it  is  not  confiflent 
with  the  Love  here  required.  And  therefore  they  are  evi- 
dently two  Things. 

3.  That  Love  which  is  commonly  Called  natural  Affec- 
tion^ is  not  the  Love  here  required.  It  is  true,  that  Man 
is  worfe  than  the  Beails,  who  is  without  natural  Affedion, 
for  they  evidently  ape  not :  but  every  Man  is  not  a  Saint, 
becaufe  he  has  natural  Affe6lion.  And  it  is  true,  we  owe 
a  peculiar  Love,  according  to  God'sLaw,to  our  Relatives  % 
but  natural  AfFe6lion  is  not  it.  For  there  are  many  ungodly 
Wretches,  who  care  neither  tor  God  nor  his  Law,  who  have 

as 


and  dijlingutfned  frofn  all  Counterfeits.  14 1 

as  much  natural  Affection  as  any  in  the  Wofld.  Yea,  it 
is  a  common  Thing  for  ungodly  Parents  to  make  very  Idols 
of  their  Children  :  for  them,  they  go  and  run  and  work 
and  toil,  by  Night  &  Day,  to  the  utter  negled  of  God  and 
their  own  Souls.  And  furely  this  can't  be  the  very  Love 
v/hich  God  requires.  And  befides,  as  natural  Affedion  na- 
turally prompts  Parents  to  love  their  Children  more  than 
God,  and  be  more  concerned  for  their  Welfare  than  for  his 
Glory,  fo  it  is  commonly  a  Bar  in  the  Way  of  their  loving 
others  as  they  ought.  They  have  nothing  to  give  to  the 
Poor  and  Needy,  to  the  Widow  and  Fatherlefs  :  they  muft 
lay  up  all  for  their  Children.  Yea,  many  Times  they  rake 
and  fcrape, cheat  and  defraud,  and  like  mere  Earth- Worms 
bury  themfelves  in  the  World  \  and  all  this,  for  the  fake 
of  their  Children.  And  yet  all  this  Love  to  their  Children 
does  not  prompt  them  to  take  Care  of  their  Souls.  They 
never  teach  their  Children  to  pray,  nor  inftrud  them  to 
feek  after  God.  They  love  their  Bodies,  but  care  little  for 
their  Souls.  Their  Love  to  the  one  is  beyond  all  Bounds, 
but  to  the  other  is  little  or  nothing.  'Tis  an  irrational 
Fondnefs,  and  not  the  Love  required.  Indeed  if  Parents 
loved  their  Children  as  they  ought  to  do,  their  Love  would 
effedlually  influence  them  to  take  Care  of  their  Souls,  and 
do  all  their  Duty  to  them  ;  which  natural  Affe^ion  evi- 
dently does  not.  And  therefore  it  is  not  that  Love,  with 
which  God  in  his  Law  requires  Parents  to  love  their  Chil- 
dren. Nor  indeed  does  there  feem  to  be  any  more  of  the 
Nature  of  true  Virtue  or  real  Religion  in  the  natural  Af- 
feSfion  of  Men,  than  there  is  in  the  natural  Affedion  of 
Beafts  :  both  refulting  merely  from  animal  Nature  and  a 
natural  Self-love,  without  any  Regard  to  the  Reafon  and 
Nature  of  Things. 

4-  Nor  is  that  the  Love  here  required,  which  arifes 
merely  from  a  Party-Spirit,  Becaufe  fuch  a  one  is  of  their 
Party,  and  on  their  Side,  and  loves  thofe  whom  they  love, 
and  will  plead,  ftand  up,  and  contend  for  them,  and  main- 
tain their  Caufe.  For  fuch  a  Love  is  pregnant  with  Hatred 
and  Ill-Will  to  every  Body  elfe.  And  nothing  will  humour 
and  gratify  it  more  than  to  fee  the  oppofite  Party  hated^, 
reviled  and  blackned.  And  befidcs,  fuch  a  Love  is  nothing 

but 


142         True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

but  Self-love*in  another  Shape.  Ye  have  heard,  that  it  hath 
been  fald^  T^hou  fialt  love  thy  Neighbour^  and  hate  thine  Ene- 
my :  But  I  fay  unto  you^  Love  your  Enemies.  Mat.5. 43,44. 
5.  Nor  is  that  the  Love  here  required, which  arifes  mere- 
ly from  others  Love  to  me.  As  if  a  rich  Man  is  kind  and 
bountiful  to  poor  People  all  around  him,  and  appears  to 
love  and  pity  them  -,  they,  tho'  almoft  ever  fo  wicked,  will 
feel  a  Sort  of  Love  to  him.  But  if  this  rich  Man  happens 
to  be  a  civil  Magiftrate,  and  is  called  to  fit  as  a  Judge  in 
their  Cafe,  and  pafTes  Judgment  againft  them  for  their 
Crimes,  now  their  Love  dies,  and  Enmity  and  Hatred  and 
Revenge  begin  to  ferment  in  their  Hearts.  In  this  Cafe, 
it  is  not  the  Man  they  love,  but  rather  his  Kindnejjes.  And 
their  feeming  Love,  is  nothing  but  a  certain  Operation  of 

Self-love. And  indeed  however  full  of  Love  Perfons 

may  feem  to  be  to  theirNeighbours,  if  all  arifes  merely  from 
Self-love^or  is  for  Self -ends  .,c\othmg  is  genuine :  and  that  whe- 
ther Things  worldly,  or  Things  religious,    occafion  their 
Love.     A  poor  Man  will  love  and  honour  thofe  that  are 
rich  i  if  he  hopes  to  get  any  Thing  by  it.     A  rich  Man 
may  be  kind  to  the  Poor,  with  an  Eye  to  his  Credit.     An 
awakened  Sinner  will  love  an  awakening  Preacher,in  hopes 
he  fhall  be  converted  by  his  Miniftry.     A  Minifter  may 
feem  to  fhew  a  World  of  Love  to  the  Souls  of  Sinners, 
and  all  with  an  Eye  to  Applaufe.     Hypocrites  will  love  a 
godlyMinifter,  fo  long  as  he  thinks  well  of  them,  and  hap- 
pens not  to  deted  their  hypocrify  in  his  publick  Preaching. 
Even  the  Galatians  were  very  full  of  Love  to  Paid  for  a 
while,  fo  long  as  they  thought  he  loved  them,  and  had 
been  the  Inftrument  of  their  Converfion  •,  yet  afterwards 
they  loil^their  Love,and  turned  his  Enemies,  for  his  telling 
them  the  Truth.     While  others,  who  loved  him  truly  for 
what  he  was,  were  more  and  more  knit  unto  him,  tor  thofe 
very  Do6trines  for  which  the  Galatians  hated  him.     If  ye 
love  them  which  love  you^  what  Reward  have  ye  ^  Do  not 
the  Publicans  the  fame?  Mat.  5.46.  There  is  no  Virtue  nor 
Religion  in  fuch  a  Kind  of  Love,and  it  is  evidently  not  the 
^hing  required  by  the  divineLaw.  And  indeed  it  is  aThing 
as  difficult  and  as  contrary  to  corrupt  Nature,  for  us  genu- 
inely to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  as  it  is  to  love 

God 


and  di/iinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits  143 

God  with  all  our  Hearts.  And  there  is  as  httle  true  Love 
between  Man  and  Man,  as  there  is  between  Men  and  God. 
It  is  for  our  Intered  to  love  God,  and  it  is  for  our  Interefl 
to  love  our  Neighbours,  and  therefore  Men  7nake  as  if  they 
did  fo,  when  really  there  is  nothing  genuine  and  true.  And 
at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  when  a  wicked  World  comes  to 
God's  Bar,  and  their  paft  Condu6l  is  all  brought  to  Light, 
nothing  will  be  more  manifeft  than  that  there  never  was 
a  Spark  of  true  Love  to  God  or  Man  in  their  Hearts,  but 
that  from  firft  to  laft  they  were  aded  and  governed  either 
by  their  animal  Conftitution,  or  elfe  merely  by  Self-love. 

6.  I  may  add,  nor  is  that  the  Love  required,  when  Men 
love  others  merely  hecaufe  they  are  as  bad^  and  fo  juji  like 
themfelves.  Nature  and  Self-Love  will  prompt  the  worft 
of  Men  to  do  fo.  The  vain  and  profligate  love  fuch  as  are 
as  bad  as  themfelves.  And  from  the  fame  Principle  erro- 
neous Perfons  have  a  peculiar  Regard  for  one  another.  And 
the  Enthufiall  and  blazing  Hypocrite  may  from  the  fame 
Principle  feem  to  be  full  of  Love  to  their  own  Sort,  tho' 
full  of  Malice  againil  all  others.  And  they  may  think  that 
it  is  the  Image  of  God  which  they  love  in  their  Brethren  : 
when  indeed  it  is  only  the  Image  of  themfelves.  Perfons  of 
a  bad  Tafte  may  greatly  delight  in  thofe  Things  in  others, 
which  are  very  odious  in  the  Sight  of  God.  But  furely  this 
.can't  be  the  Love  required.  And  yet  by  this  very  Thing 
many  a  Hypocrite  thinks  himfelf  a  true  Sahit. 

Thus  we  fee  what  it  is  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  and  fee  thefe  two 
diflinguifhed  from  their  Counterfeits.  And  fo  we  have 
gone  thro'  the  two  great  Commands  of  the  Law,  in  a  Con- 
formity to  which,  the  very  EiTence  of  Religion  does  much 
confifl. 

And  now  it  is  added  by  our  Saviour,  Upon  thefe  two  hang 
all  the  Law  and  the  Prophets, The  Law  and  the  Pro- 
phets, f .  e,  the  infpired  Writings  of  th«  Old-Teflament 
confider  thefe  two  Maxims,  that  we  muft  love  God  with  all 
ourHeartSyand  ourNeighbours  as  ourfelves^  as  firft  and  Foun- 
dation-Principles :  and  all  the  various  Duties  which  they 
urge,  refpeding  God  and  our  Fellow.'Mcn,are  but  fo  many 
Inferences  and  Dedu^ions  from  them, 

God 


144  T.rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Gcd  mufi  he  loved  zvith  all  the  Heart. And  therefore 

we  muft  make  him  our  God  and  none  elfe,  according  to 
the  Jirjl  Ccmmand. Worihip  him  according  to  his  ap- 
pointed Inftitutions,  agreable  to  tht  fecond  Command. — With 
becoming  Reverence  &  Devotion,  according  to  the  third. — 
And  that  in  all  fuch  fet  Times  as  he  hath  appointed  in  his 
Word,   according  to  the  fourth. 

Our  Neighbour  7raift  be  loved  as  our  felves.  —  And  there- 
fore we  mufl  render  Honour  to  whom  Honour  is  due,  ac- 
cording to  the  ffth  Co7nmand.  And  be  tender  of  our 
Neighbour's  Life,  Chaftity,  Eftate  &  good  Name,  accord- 
ing to  Xhtfixth^feventh^  eighth  and  ninth  Commands.  And 
rejoyce  in  his  Welfare  and  Profperity,  according  to  the 
ie72th.  And  in  all  Things  treat  him  as  we  could  reafonably 
defire  him  to  treat  us,  according  to  that  golden  Rule  of 
JefusChrift,  in  Matth.  7.  12. 

And  as  all  the  Duties  we  owe  to  God  and  Man,  are  thus 
in  the  Theory^  but  fo  many  Dedu5fions  neceflarily  flowing 
from  thefe  two  Maxims  ovfirft  Principles  \  fo  when  the  Law 
of  God  is  written  in  the  Heart  of  a  Sinner  by  divine  Grace, 
and  put  in  his  inward  Parts  ;  there  will,  from  thefe  two 
Principles,  naturally  flow  all  Duties  to  God  and  his 
Neighbour,  in  his  daily  Pra6lice  :  i.  e.  from  a  Difpofi- 
tion  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and 
delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  he  will  naturally  be  inclined 
and  enabled  fincerely  to  do  all  his  Will  -,  to  make  him  his 
GOD,  according  to  the  firfl  Command,  to  worfliip  him 
according  to  his  own  Appointments,  with  becoming  Reve- 
rence, and  at  all  fuitable  Times,  according  to  the  reft.  It 
will  be  his  Nature  to  do  all  this,  his  Meat  and  his  Drink, 
and  fo  his  greateft  DeUght. —  And  fo  alio,  from  a  genuine 
Difpofition  to  love  his  Neighbour  as  himfelf,  he  will  be 
naturally  inclined  and  enabled,  in  'all  Things,  and  at  all 
Times,  fincerely  to  do  as  he  would  be  done  by.  It  will  be 
his  Nature  to  do  fo,  his  Meat  and  his  Drink,  and  fo  his 
greateft  Delight.  Heb,  8.  10.  Joh.  15.  14.  i  Joh.  2.  3,  4. 
Pfal.  19.  10. 

So  that, as  it  is  \T)!Theory^  fo  alfo  it  ismPra^ice  ;  thefe  two 
are  like  the  Seed  that  virtually  contains  the  whole  Plant,  or 
like  the  Root  from  which  the  wholeTree  grows,  with  all  its 

Branches, 


mid  d7jli7iguij}jed  from  all  Counterfeits.   145 

Branches  and  Fruit.  And  in  Proportion  as  a  Man  loves 
God  and  his  Neighbour  with  a  genuine  Love,  in  the  fame 
Proportion,  will  his  Inclination  and  Ability  thence  arifing 
be,  to  do  all  thefeDutics.  And  confequently  when  hisLove 
to  (jod  and  his  Neighbour  arrives  to  FerfeElion^  he  will  be 
perfeEtly  inclined  and  enabled  to  be  perfeii  in  Holinefs  and 
Righteoufnefs,  and  will  aBually^  in  all  Things,  perfectly 
conform  to  both  Tables  of  the  Law.  And  it  is  equally 
evident,  that  until  a  Man  has  a  genuine  Love  to  God  and 
his  Neighbour  in  his  Heart,  he  will  have  neither  Inclina- 
tion nor  Ability  (in  a  moral  and  fpiritual  Senfe)  to  perform 
one  Ad  of  true  Obedience.  For  as  all  true  Obedience^  ac- 
cording to  the  Law  and  Prophets,  is  to  flow  from  thefe  two 
Principles  •,  fo  confequently,  according  to  the  Law  and 
Prophets,  that  is  not  true  Obedience^  which  does  not.  And 
therefore  when  all  a  Man's  Religion,  is  m.erely  from  Self- 
love,  and  for  Self-ends,  he  cannot  be  faid,  ilridtly  fpeak- 
ing,  to  do  any  Duty  to  God  or  his  Neighbour,  or  obey  0)ve 
Command  ;  for  he  only  ferves  himfelf^  and  that  from  a  fu- 
preme  Love  to  himfelf,  which  the  Law  and  the  Prophets 
do  not  require,  h\xt  Jlri£fly  forbid^  in  that  they  enjoin  the 
dire^i  contrary. 

So  that  now,  in  a  few  Words,  we  may  here  fee,  wherein 
true  Religion  does  confift^  as  it  ftands  diftinguilhed  from  all 
the  falfe  Religion  in  the  World.  The  godly  Man,  from 
feeing  God  to  be  juft  fuch  a  One  as  he  is,  and  from  a  real 
Senfe  of  his  infinite  Glory  and  Amiablenefs  in  being  fuch, 
is  thereby  influenced  to  love  him  fupremely,  live  to  him  ul- 
timately, and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively :  from  which  in- 
ward Frame  of  Hearty  he  freely  runs  the  Way  of  God's 
Commands,  and  is  in  his  Element  when  doing  God's  Will, 
He  eats,  he  drinks,  he  works,  he  prays,and  does  all  Things, 
with  a  fingle  Eye  for  God  ^  who  has  placed  him  in  this 
his  World,  allotted  to  him  his  peculiar  Station,  and  point- 
ed out  before  him  all  the  Bufinefs  of  Life  :  always  looking 
to  him  for  all  Things,  and  always  giving  Thanks 
nnto  his  Name,  foi  all  his  unfpeakable  Goodnefs  to 
a  Wretch  fo  infinitely  unworthy.  And,  with  a  Spirit 
of  difinterefted  Impartiality  and  genuine  Benevolence, 
he  views  his   Fellow-Men,    gives  them    their    Places, 

L  takes 


146       ^rue  Religion  deli?teated         Dis.  L 

takes  his  own,  and  loves  them  as  himfelf :  Their  Welfare 
is  dear  to  him  \  he  is  grieved  at  their  Miferies,  and  rejoyccs 
at  their  Mercies,  and  delights  to  do  all  the  Good  he  can,  to 
every  one,  in  the  Place  and  Station  which  God  has  fet  him 
in.  And  he  finds  and  feels  that  this  new  and  divine  Tem- 
per is  inwrought  in  his  very  Nature  -,  fo  that  inftead  of  a  for- 
ced Religion,  or  a  Religion  merely  by  Fits,  his  very  Heart 
is  habitually  bent  and  inclined  to  fuch  Views  and  Apprehen- 
fions,  to  fuch  an  inward  Temper,  and  to  fuch  an  outward 
Condud. 

This,  this  is  the  Religion  of  the  Bible,  the  Religion 
which  the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  and  which  Chrift  and  his 
Apoftles  too,  all  join  to  teach  !  The  Religion,  whic.hChriil 
came  mto  the  World  to  recover  Men  unta,  and  to  which 
the  Spirit  of  God  does  adually  recover  every  Believer,  in  a 
greater  or  lefler  Degree.  Thus  thofe  who  are  dead  in  Sin^ 
are  quickenedy  Eph.  2.  i.  Have  the  Law  written  in  their 
Hearts y  Heb.  8.  10.  Are  made  new  Creatures ^  all  old  Things 
being  done  away y  arid  all  Things  become  new^  2  Cor.  5.  17. 
And  are  eifedtually  taught  to  deny  all  VngodUnefs  and  worldly 
Luftsy  and  to  live  foberly^  right eoujly  and  godly  in  this  prefetit 
Worlds  Tit.  2.  12.  And  (oferve  God  without  fear^  in  Holi- 
nefs  and  Right eoufnefs^   all  the  Days  of  their  Lives^  Luk. 

^-  74j  75- 

And  this  is  fpecifically  different,  from  every  Sort  of 
falfe  Religion  in  the  World.  For  all  Kinds  of  falfe  Reli- 
gion, however  different  in  other  Things,  yet  all  agree  in 
this,  to  refult  merely  from  a  Principle  of  Self-love,  where- 
by fallen  Men,  being  ignorant  of  God,  are  inclined  to  love 
themfelves  fupremely,  and  do  all  Things  for  themfelves  ul- 
timately. All  the  idolatrous  Religion  of  the  heathen 
World,  in  which  fome  took  much  Pains,  had  its  Rife  from 
this  Principle.  They  had  fome  Notion  of  a  future  State, 
of  a  Heaven  and  aHell,  as  well  as  of  temporalRewards  and. 
Puniihments,  and  fo  were  moved  by  Hope  and  Fear,  from 
a  Principle  of  Self  love,  to  do  fomething  to  pacify  the 
Anger  of  the  Gods,  and  recommend  themfelves  to  the  Fa-^ 
vour  of  their  Deities.  And  all  the  Superftitions  of  thc^ 
feemingly  devout  Papifl,  his  Fater-nojlers,  his  Ave-maria^i 
his  Penances  and  Pilgrimages^  and  endlefs  Toils,  ftill  arifc^ 

from 


and  dijiingutpoed fro7n  all  Counterfeits.   1 47 

from  the  fame  Principle.  So  does  all  the  Religion  of  For- 
malifts  and  legal  Hypocrites  in  the  reformed  Nations  -,  'tis 
a  flavifh  fear  of  Hell  and  mercenary  hope  of  Heaven,  which, 
from  a  Principle  of  Self-love,  fets  all  a  going.  Yea,  the 
cvangelicalHypocrite,who  mightily  talks  of  fupernatural  di- 
vine Light,  of  the  Spirit's  Operations,  of  Converfion,  and 
a  new  Nature,  ftill  after  all,  has  no  higher  Principle  in  him 
than  Self-love.  His  Confcience  has  been  greatly  enlight- 
ned,  and  his  Heart  terrified,  and  his  Corruptions  ftunned  : 
and  he  has,  by  the  Delufions  of  Satan,  obtained  a  ftrong 
Confidence  of  the  Love  of  God  and  pardon  of  his  Sins  ; 
fo  that  inftead  of  being  influenced  chiefly  by  the  fear  of  Hell, 
as  the  legal  Hypocrite  is,  he  is  ravilhed  with  Heaven  -,  but 
flill  all  is  from  Self-love,  and  for  Self-ends.  And  proper- 
ly and  fcripturally  fpeaking,  he  neither  knows  God,  nor 
cares  at  all  for  him.  And  this  is  the  very  Cafe  with  every 
gracelefs  Man  living,  of  whatever  Denomination  •,  whether 
a  Heathen  or  Jew  or  Chrifiian^  whether  Papijl  or  Proteftant, 
whether  Church-man^  Prejhyterian^  Congregationalift  or  Sepa- 
ratift^  whether  a  Pelagian^  Arminian^  Calvinift^  Antinomiany 
Baptift  or  ^aker.  And  this  is  the  Cafe  with  every  grace- 
lejs  Man  living,  whatever  his  Attainments  may  otherwife  be  ; 
tho'  he  hath  all  Knowledge  to  underftand  all  Myfteries,and 
can  fpeak  with  the  Tongues  of  Men  and  Angels,  and  has 
Faith  to  remove  Mountains,  and  Zeal  enough  to  give  all 
his  Goods  to  feed  the  Poor,  and  his  Body  to  be  burned  ; 
yet  he  has  no  Charity  ^hc  is  perfectly  deftitute  of  this  genuine 
Love  to  God  and  his  Neighbour,  and  has  no  higher  Prin- 
ciple in  his  Heart,from  which  all  his  Religion  proceeds,but 
a  fupreme  Love  tohimfelf.  For  ever  fince  our  firft  Pa- 
rents afpired  to  be  as  Gods,  it  has  been  the  Nature  of  all 
Mankind  to  love  themfelves  fupremely,  and  to  be  blind  to 
the  infinite  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature  •,  and  it  remains 
fo  to  be  with  all,  until  renewed  by  divine  Grace.  So  that 
Self-love  is  the  higheft  Principle,  from  which,  unregene- 
rate  Men  do  ever  ad,  or  can  ad:. 

Here  therefore  we  have  true  Religion,  a  Religion  fpeci- 
fically  different  firom  all  other  Sorts  of  Religion  in  the 
World,  (landing  in  a  clear  View.  Yea,  and  we  may  be 
abfolutely  certain,  that  this  is  the  very  Thing  which  has 

L  2  been 


148         l^rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I# 

been  defcribed.  For  this  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law,  is 
throughout  all  the  Bible,  by  Mofes  and  the  Prophets^  by 
Cbrift  and  his  Apojlles^  rcprefented  to  be  the  very  Thing  in 
which  the  Efifence  of  Religion  originally  confills.  "  BlefTed 
*'  be  the  Name  of  the  Lord  for  ever,  who  has  given  us  fo 
•'  clear  a  Revelation  of  his  Will,  and  fo  fure  and  certain  a 
•'  Guide  as  his  Word."  Come  here,  all  you  poor  exercifed 
broken-hearted  Saints,  that  live  in  this  dark  benighted 
World,  where  many  run  to  and  fro,  and  where  there  are  a 
thoufand  different  Opinions,  and  every  one  confident  that 
he  is  right.  Come  here  to  the  Law  and  to  the  Teftipaony  ^ 
come  here  to  Chrift  himfelf,  2^  learn  what  the  Truth  is, 
and  be  fettled,  be  confirmed,  ^d  be  eftablifhed  for  even 
And  remember  and  pradlife  upon  thofe  Words  of  Jefus 
Chrift,  in  Joh.  7.  17.  If  any  Man  will  do  his  JVill^  he  Jhall 
know  of  the  Do^rine,  whether  it  be  of  God.  O,  read  the 
Bible,  live  Lives  of  Prayer  and  Communion  with  God  ; 
yea,  die  to  your  felves,  the  World  &  Sin,  and  return  home 
to  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  love  him  and  live  to  him, 
and  dcHght  in  hirn  more  and  more  •,  and  be  more  &  more 
difinteiefted  and  impartial,  fincere  and  fervent,  in  your 
Love  to  your  Neighbours  ;  do  all  the  Good  to  every  one 
that  you  can.  In  a  Word,  be  the  Servants  of  God,  and 
grow  up  into  his  Image,  and  your  Certainty  of  divine 
Truths  will  proportionably  ftrengthen  and  increafe.  For 
the  more  your  Underftandings  are  free  from  thatDarknefs 
and  Prejudice  that  Sin  has  introduced,  the  clearer  will  you 
view  divineTruths,  and  the  greater  Senfe  will  you  have  of 
their  inherent  divine  Glory  ;  and  fo  yourBelief  of  theirDivi- 
nity  will  be  the  more  unihaken. 

,-  Having  thus  gone  thro'  with  what  was  propofed,  a  gene- 
ral Impro'vement  of  the  whole,  is  all  that  now  remains.  And 
indeed  much  Ufe  may  be  made  of  thefe  great  Truths,which 
have  been  thas  explained  and  proved,  for  our  InftruSfion  m 
fome  of  the  moft  con  ■  overted  Points  in  Religion,  an4"t'0 
clear  up  the  Believer's  gracious  State,  and  alfo  to  promotq 
our  Humiliation  and  Thankfulnefs  and  univerfal  Obedience.  ■ 

Section 


and  didingui/hed  from  all  Counterfeits  1 49 


Section     V. 

Right  Apprehenfions  of  the  Law^  ufefulto  clear  - 
upfome  of  the  mofl  controverted  Points  in 
Religion. 

USE  I.  Of  InftruEiion.  We  have  fecn  what  the  Law 
of  God  requires,  and  the  infinite  Obhgations  we  are  under 
perfeoPj^  to  conform  to  it  •,  we  have  feen  wherein  a  genuine 
Conformity  to  the  Law  confifts,  and  how  a  genuine  Con- 
formity to  it  differs  from  iU  Counterfeits  ;  and  what  has 
been  faid  may  help  us  to  underfland  the  following  Particu- 
lars. 

I.  Wherein  confifted  the  moral  Image  of  God^  in  which 
Adam  was  created.     That  Adam  was  created  in  the  Image 
of  God,  is  exprefly  affirmed,  in  Gen.  1.27.  So  God  created 
Man  in  his  own  Image.,   in  the  Image  of  God  created  he  him^ 
And  from  thefe  Words  we  have  jufl  the  fame  Reafon  to 
believe  that  Adam  was  created  in  the  morale  as  that  he  was 
in  the  natural^    Image  of  God  ;    becaufe  they  tell  us  in 
plain  Terms,  without  any  Diflin6lion  or  Exception  (nor  is 
there  any    that   can  be  gathered  from    any  other  Text  ) 
that  he   was   created    in    the   Image    of  God  ;  but  the 
moral  as  well  as  the  natural  Perfedions  of  God  are  equally 
contained  in  his  Image.     As  to  xht  political  Image  of  God, 
Adam.,  flridly  fpeaking,  was  not  created  in  that  •,  becaufe 
as  the  Scriptures  inform  us,  it  was  after  his  Creation  that 
he  was  made  Lord  of  this  lower  World.  Gen.  1.28.    And  It 
is,  I  think,  with  lefs  Propriety,  that  this  is  by  Divines  called 
the  Image  of  God  j  I  do  not  know  that  it  is  any  where  fo 
called  in  Scripture  ;   and  God,  was  the  fame,   he  is  now, 
before  he  fuftained  the   Charader  of  fupreme  Lord  and 
Governour  of  the  World.     His  natural  and  moral  Perfedti-- 
ons  comprifed  his  whole  Image  before  the  World  was  crea- 
ted.    And  in  this  his  Image  was  his  Creature  Man  created. 
Not  in  Part  of  his  Image,  for  there  is  no  fuch   Intl- 
jnation  in  all  the  Bible.     But  in  his  Image^  comprifmg  his 
morale  as  well,  and  as  much,  as  his  natural  Pcrfeftions. 


150        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

Now  the  moral  Image  of  God  do^s  radically  confift  in  a 
temper  of  Mind  or  Frame  of  Heart  perfectly  anfwerablc  to 
the  moral  Law  :  the  moral  Law  being  as  it  were  a  'Tranfcript 
cf  the  moral  Perfe£iions  of  God.  So  that  from  what  has  been 
faid  of  the  Nature  of  the  moral  Perfcdions  of  God  and  of 
the  Nature  of  the  moral  Law,  we  may  leani  wherein  con- 
fifted  that  moral  Image  of  God  in  which  Adnju  was  created. 
He  had  a  perfe5i  moral  Rectitude  of  Heart,  a  pcrfedly  right 
^Temper  of  Mind  •,  and  fo  was  perfe6tly  difpofed  to  love 
God  with  all  his  Heart,  and  his  Neighbours  (if  he  had  had 
any)  as  himfelf :  Was  perfedly  difpofed  to  give  QMl  his 
Place,  and  take  his  own  •,  and  confider  God  as  being  what 
he  was,  and  be  affedled  and  ad  accordingly  ^  and  to  con- 
fider his  Fellow -Men  (if  he  had  had  any)  as  being  what 
they  were,  and  feel  and  act  accordingly.  And  in  this 
Image  of  God  was  he  created,  as  the  Scriptures  teach  us ; 
i.  e.  He  was  brought  into  Exiilcnce  with  iuch  a  Temper 
connatural  to  him. 

Now  here  is  a  new-made  Creature  in  a  new  World,view- 
ing  God  and  wondring  at  his  infinite  Glory,  looking  all 
round,  aftonifh'd  at  the  divine  Pcrfedions  fliining  forth 
in  all  his  Works.  He  views  the  fpacious  Heavens,  they 
declare  to  him  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  :  He  fees  his  Wif- 
dom  and  his  Power,  he  wonders  and  adores.  He  looks 
round  upon  all  his  Works,  they  clearly  difcover  to  him  the 
invifible  Things  of  God,  even  his  eternal  Power  and  God- 
head, and  he  ftands  amazed.  God  makes  him  Lord  of 
this  lower  World,  appoints  to  him  his  daily  Employment, 
and  puts  him  into  a  State  of  1  rial,  fetting  Life  and  Death 
before  him  ;  and  he  fees  the  infinite  Wifdom,  Holinefs, 
Juftice  and  Goodnefs  of  God  in  all,  he  falls  down  and  wor- 
ships, he  exults  in  God,  and,  with  all  his  Heart,  gives  up 
himfelf  to  God  with  fweeteft  Delight.  All  is  genuine,  na- 
tural and  free,  refulting  from  the  native  Temper  of  his 
Heart. 

Here  he  beheld  God  in  his  infinite  Glory,  viewed  his 
Works,  contemplated  his  Perfeflions,  admired  and  adored 
him,  with  a  Swcetnefs  and  Pleafure  of  Soul  moft  refined ! 
Here  he  faw  God  in  all  the  Trees  Plants  and  Herbs  in  the-' 
Garden,  his  happy  Seat,  v/hile  out  of  LovQ  to  God  and 

Duty 


and  dijiingui/hed  from  all  Counterfeits.   151 

Duty  he  attended  his  daily  Bufinefs,  he  eat  and  drank  and 
bleft  his  great  Benefador  I  He  law  that  it  was  infinitely 
reafonable,  that  he  fhould  love  God  with  all  his  Heart,  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing,  if  eternal  Life  had  not  at  all 
been  promifed  :  both  becaufe  God  infinitely  deferved  it  at 
his  Hand,  and  alfo  in  doing  thereof  there  was  the  greateft 
Satisfadlion  and  Delight.  And  he  faw  that  it  he,  in  any 
Thing,  Ihould  difobey  his  fovereign  Lord  and  rightful  Go- 
vernour,  it  would  be  right,  infinite  right,  that  he  fhould  be 
miferable  for  ever,  even  if  God  had  never  fo  threatned  : 
becaufe  to  difobey  fuch  a  God  appeared  to  him  an  infinite 
Evil.  He  looked  upon  the  Promife  of  eternal  Life,  as  a 
mere  free  Bounty.  He  looked  upon  the  Threatening  of 
Death,  as  impartial  Juftice.  And  while  he  confidered 
eternal  Life  under  the  Notion  of  a  REWARD  promifed 
to  perfed  Obedience  from  God  his  Governour,  he  faw  his 
infinite  Love  to  Righteoufnefs  therein,  as  well  as  his  infinite 
Bounty.  And  while  he  confidered  D^^/i&  under  theNotion  of 
a  PUNISHMENT  threatened  againft  Sin,  he  faw  God's 
infinite  Hatred  of  Iniquity  therein,  as  well  as  his  impartial 
Juftice.  And  when  he  faw  how  God  loved  Righteouf- 
nefs and  hated  Iniquity,  and  beheld  his  infinite  Goodnefs 
on  the  one  Hand  and  impartial  Juftice  on  the  other,  he 
was  ravifhed.  Now  he  faw  plainly  what  God  was,  and 
his  infinite  Glory  in  being  fuch,  and  loved  him  with  all 
his  Heart.  It  was  natural  to  account  fuch  a  God  infinitely 
amiable,and  it  was  natural  to  love  him  with  all  his  Heart. 
Allwas  genuine  and  free,  refuking  from  the  native  'Temper 
of  his  Mind. 

Thefe  being  his  Views  and  Apprehenfions,  and  this  his 
Nature  ;  hence  altho'  he  was  under  a  Covenant  of  Works, 
yet  the  Hopes  of  Happinefs  and  the  Fears  of  Mifery  were 
not  the  original  ^ndfirfi  Spring  of  his  Love  to  God  :  it  was 
not  originally  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-ends,  but  from  a 
Senfc  of  the  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature  ;  and  fo  it 
was  not  forced  and  hypocritical,  but  free  and  genuine :  it 
did  not  feel  like  a  Burden,  but  it  was  eftecmed  a  Priviledge ; 
and  inftead  of  being  difpofed  to  think  it  MUCH  to  love 
God  with  all  his  Heart  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  he 
rather  thought  it  infinitely  right  and//  as  being  God's  dt^ey 

L  4  and 


1^2         li'rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

and  that  he  defenxd  no  thanks  from  God,  but  rather  was 
under  infinite  O  Hgations  to  give  thanks  to  God  for  ever, 
for  fuch  an  infinite  Privikdgc.  And  tlius  we  fee  wherein 
that  moral  Image  of  God  confilled  in  which  Adam  was 
created. 

.  2.  From  all  which,  it  is  a  'plain  Matter  cf  Fa5f^  that  we 
are  horn  into  the  World  entirely  dejtitiite  of '  the  moral  Image 
of  God,  So  certain  as  that  the  moral  Image  of  God  radi- 
cally confifls  in  fuch  a  Temper,  and  makes  it  natural  to 
have  fuch  like  Views  and  Difpofitions  •,  fo  certain  we  are 
in  Facl  born  without  it.  Look  into  Children,  and  there  is 
nothing  to  be  feen  of  thefe  Things.  And  we  are  all  fure 
that  fuch  a  Temper  and  fuch-iike  Views  and  Difpofitions 
are  not  natural  to  us  -,  yea,  mofl  Men  are  fure  there  is  flill 
no  fuch  Thing  in  them  •,  and  very  many  believe  there  is 

no  fuch  Thing  in  the  V/orld. We  are  in  Fad  hern  like 

the  wild  Jjjc's  Colt,  as  fenfeiefs  of  God, and  as  void  and  de- 
flitute  of  Grace.  We  have  Nature,  hit  no  Grace  :  a  Tajle 
for  natural  Good,  but  no  Relifh  for  moral  Beauty  :  an  Appe- 
tite for  Happinefs,  but  }w  Appetite  for  Holinefs.  A  Heart 
eafily  alie6ted  and  governed  by  felfifli  Confiderations,  but 
blind  to  the  moralReditude  and  Fitnefs  of  Things.  And 
fo  we  have  a  Heart  to  love  our  felves,  but  no  Heart  to  love 
God  ;  and  may  be  moved  to  adl  by  felfifli  Views,  but  can't 
be  influenced  by  the  infinite  moral  Beauty  of  the  divine 
Nature.  Ihat  which  ts  horn  of  the  Flefh,  is  F'ejh :  Joh.  3.  6, 
And  will  only  mind  and  relifh  Things  which  fuit  its  Na- 
ture-,  Rom,  8.  5.  But  is  blind  to  fpiritual  Things.  1  Ccr, 
2.  14 True  indeed,  in  Children  there,  arc  many  natu- 
ral Excellencies^  many  Things  pleafing  and  agreeable.  They 
fbmetimes,  in  a  good  mood,  appear  loving  and  kind,  inno- 
cenc  and  harmlef<?,  humble  and  meek  •,  and  fo  does  a  Lamb 
or  young  Puppy.  1  here  is  nothing  but  Nature  in  thefe 
Appearances.  It's  ov/ing  to  their  animal  Conftitutibn, 
and  to  their  being  plcafed  and  humoured.  It  is  all  from 
po  higher  Principle  than  Self-love.  Crofs  them,  and  they 
v.ill  prefcntly  feel  and  a6l  bad  enough.  They  have  in  their 
Temper  and  mofl  early  Condu6l  noRegard  to  God  or  Du- 
ty, or  to  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things,  but  are  moved 
Aud  affcclcd-mefely  as  Things  picafc  or 'difpkafe  them, 

making 


and  dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   153 

making  their  Happinefs  their  laft  End.  And  indeed,  if  the 
Image  of  God,  Holinefs,  or  Grace,  or  whatever  we  call  it, 
be  really  fuch  a  I'hing  as  has  been  faid,  then  nothing  of 
fuch  a  Nature,  can  polTibly  be  more  plain  and  evident  than 
this  univerfally  is,  that  Mankind  are  in  Facl  born  into  the 
World  deflitute,  entirely  deftitute  thereof.  J  oh.  ii.  12. 
And  hence,  we  muil:  he  horn  again.  Joh.  3.  '>,y6, 

Ob  J.  But  where  then  vj  as  the  Propriety  of  Chrift' s  faying 
in  Matth,  18.  3.  Except  ye  be  converted,  and  become  as 
little  Children,  ye  fhall  not  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven  ?  Is  it  not  here  fuppofed^  that  little  Children  are 
Patterns  of  Humility  and  Goodnefs  ? 

Answ.  And  where  was  the  Propriety  of  thofe  Words  in 
Ifaiah  53.  7.  Where  the  Prophet  fpeaking  of  Chrift's 
Meeknefs  and  Patience  under  his  Sufferings,  he  fays.  As  a 
Sheep  before  her  Shearers  is  durnh^fo  he  opened  not  his  Mouth  ? 
Is  it  not  here  fuppofed,  that  Sheep  are  Patterns  of  Meeknefs 
and  Patience  ?  The  Truth  is,  that  thefe  Aliufions  do  not 
prove,that  eitherSheep  or  littleChildren  naturally  have  any 
real  Humility  orMeeknefs,  of  a  gracious  Nature,  but  only 
an  Appearance  of  it.  And  juft  of  the  fameNature  are  thofe 
Phrafes  in  Matth.  10.  16.  As  wife  as  Serpents.,  as  harmlefs 
as  Doves.  But  as  thefe  Scriptures  do  not  prove,  that  Sheep 
and  Serpents.,  and  Doves  have  Grace,  fo  neither  does  that 
other  Text  prove  that  little  Children  naturally  have  it. 

3.  By  comparing  our  felves  with  the  holy  Law  of  God, 
as  it  has  been  already  explained,  we  may  alfo  learn,that  we 
are  born  into  the  World  not  only  deftitute  of  a  Conformi- 
ty to  it,  but  are  alfo  natively  diametrically  contrary  thereto 
in  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts.  The  Law  requires  us  to  love 
God  fupremely^  but  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  to  love 
cur  felves  fupremely.  The  Law  requires  us  to  live  to  God 
ultimately^  but  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  to  live  to 
mr  felves  ultimately.  The  Law  requires  us  to  delight  in 
God  fuperlatively.,  but  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  to 
delight  in  that  which  is  not  God.,  wholly.  And  finally  the 
Law  requires  us  to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves ^  but  the 
native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  to  be  inordinately  felfijh, 

Thefe  are  the  earlieft  Difpofitions  that  are  difcovered  in 
our  Nature.     And  altho- 1  don't  think  that  they  are  con- 
created 


154  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

created  by  God  together  with  the  Eflence  of  our  Souls,  yet 
they  leem  to  be  the  very  firft  Propenfities  of  the  new-made 
Soul.     So  that  they  are  in  a  Senfe  coyinatural  \  our  whole 
Hearts  are  perfedlly  and  intirely  bent  this  Way,  from  their 
very  firft  Motion.     Thefe  Propenfities  perhaps  in  fome 
Senfe  may  be  faid  to  be  contra5led^  in  Oppofition  to  their 
being  ftridlly  and  philofophically  natural  •,  becaufe  they  arc 
not  created  by  God  with  the  Ellence  of  the  Soul,  but  refult 
from  its  native  Choice,  or  rather  more  ftridtly  are  them- 
felves  its  native  Choice.     But  moft  certainly  thefe  Propen- 
fities are  not  contra5ied^  in  the  Senfe  that  many  viciousHa- 
bits  be,  namely,  by  long  Ufe  and  Cuilom.     In  oppofition 
tofucb  vicious  Habits,they  may  be  called  connatural.    Lit- 
tle Children  do  very  early  bad  Things,  and  contra(5l  bad 
Diipofitions  ;  but  thefe  Propenfities  are  evidently  antece- 
dent to  every  bad  Thing  infufed  or  inftilled  by  evil  Exam- 
ples, or  gotten  by  Pradice,  or  occafioned  by  Temptations. 
And  hence  it  is  become  cuftomary  to  call  them  natural, ^nd 
to  fay  that  it  is  our  very  Nature  to  be  fo  inclined.     And  to 
fay  that  thefe  Propenfities  are  natural^  would  to  common 
People  be  the  moft  apt  Way  of  cxprefling  the  Thing  ; 
but  it  ought  to  be  remembered,  that  they  are  not  natural 
in  the  fame  Senfe  as  the  Faculties  of  our  Souls  be  :  for  they 
are  not  the  Workmanftiip  of  God,    but  are  our  native 
Choice,  and  the  voluntary,  free,  fpontaneous  Bent  of  our 
Hearts.     And  to  keep  up  this  Diftindtion,   I  frequently 
choofe  to  ufe  the  Word  native,  inftead  of  7iaturaL 

And  now,  that  thefe  Difpofitions  are,  as  it  were,  thus 
born  with  us,  is  as  evident  from  Experience  as  any  Thing 
of  fuch  a  Kind  can  be  •,  for  thefe  are  the  earlieft  Difpo- 
fitions that  Man's  Nature  difcovers,  and  are  evidently  dif- 
covered  before  little  Children  are  capable  of  learning  them 
from  others  ;  yea,  'tis  plainly  the  very  native  bent  of  their 
Hearts  to  love  themfelves  above  all,  to  make  their  Eafe 
Comfort  and  Happinefs  their  laft  End  and  their  All,  ancj 
to  feek  for  all  from  the  Creature  ;  or  in  other  Words,  from 
that  which  is  not  God.  This  is  plain  to  every  one's  Obfer- 
vation,  nor  did  I  ever  hear  any  gne,  as  I  remember,  venture 
to  deny  it, 

■   And 


and  difiinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  155 

And  as  Children  grow  up,  and  their  natural  Powers  en* 
large,  fo  thefe  Propenfities  grow  up,  and  ftrengthcn,  and 
become  more  adive,  and  difcover  themfelves  plainer ;  and 
from  this  Root,  this  evil  Fountain,  many  bad  Things  foon 
proceed.  Obferve  Children  thro'  all  the  Days  of  Child- 
hood, and  this  Nature  may  be  eafily  feen  in  them,  they  dis- 
cover it  in  ail  their  Condudl  in  ten  thoufand  Inftances ;  and 
there  it  does  and  will  remain.  We  may  break  them  of 
many  bad  Tricks  which  they  learn,  and  bad  Habits  which 
they  contrad ;  but  we  can't  change  this  their  Nature.  They 
are  difpofed  to  love  themfelves  fupremely,  feek  their  own 
Ends  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God 
wholly  :  nor  can  we  turn  this  Bent  of  their  Hearts.  We 
can  atter  a  Sort  inllil  good  Principles  into  them,  learn  them 
to  read  and  pray  •,  and  after  a  Sort  to  honour  their  Pa- 
rents, and  love  their  Neighbours  •,  we  can  make  them  civil 
and  fober  and  humble  and  modeft  and  religious  in  a  Sort, 
but  ftill  their  old  Nature  remains  in  its  full  Power.  It  is 
reftrained,  but  not  altered  at  all  j  yea,  and  after  all,  thefe 
their  native  Difpofitions  have  the  entire  Government  of 
them.  Their  whole  Hearts  are  as  much  bent  this  Way  as 
ever.  And  thefe  Propenfities  govern  them  in  their  inward 
Temper,  and  in  all  their  Conduct.  They  do  all  from  Self- 
love  and  for  Self-Ends,  and  are  feeking  Happinefs,  not  in 
God,  but  in  fomething  ^\{^,  Thefe  Things  are  plain  to 
every  impartial  Obferver,  nor  can  they  be  denied  by  any. 
Thus  we  are  dXlJhapen  in  Iniquity  ^and  in  Sin  are  we  conceived. 
And  we  are  Tranfgrejfors  from  the  Womb^andgo  aftray  as  foon 
as  we  are  born. 

And  if  we  leave  Children  and  look  into  our  felves,  we 
may  eafily  obferve  that  we  are  naturally  of  the  fame  Tem- 
per, inclined  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  and  do  all  from 
Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends,  and  feek  for  Happinefs,  not  in 
God,  but  in  fomething  elfe.  We  can  remember  when  and 
how  we  contraded  many  other  vicious  Habits,  and  feci 
fome  inward  Power  to  get  rid  of  them  5  but  thefe  Propen- 
fities we  have  always  had,  and  they  are  natural,  and  our 
whole  Hearts  are  fo  in  them,  that  it  is  not  in  us  fo  much 
as  fincerely  to  defire  to  be  othcrwife.  It  is  true,  we  may,- 
in  a  S6rt,  defire  and  try  to  aker  this  our  Nature,  from 

Confiderations 


156  Irue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  !• 

Confiderations  of  Duty,  of  Heaven  and  Hell ;  but  it  is  all 
Hypocrify  :  for  we  ftiil  a6t  merely  from  Self  love  and  for 
Selt-ends  as  much  as  ever.  Wc  have  naturally  no  Difpo- 
fition  to  defire  to  love  God,  only  for  Self-ends.  All  Men 
are  confcious  to  themfelves  that  this  is  true. 

We  are  naturally  entirely  under  the  Government  of  thefe 
Difpofitions,  in  all  'Things ^zs\^  under  all  Circumftances. — IN 
ALL  THINGS  •,  In  all  our  civil  and  religious  Concerns.  It 
is  merely  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-ends,  that  natural 
Men  follow  their  worldly  Bufinefs  i  and  endeavour  to  live 
peaceably  with  their  Neighbours  :  and  in  thefeThings  they 
are  feeking  Bleflednefs.  And  it  is  merely  from  Self-love 
and  for  Self-ends  they  do  any  Thing  in  Religion  ;  either 
they  mean  to  be  fcen  of  Men,  or  arc  moved  from  a  flavilh 
Fear  of  Hell  and  mercenary  Hope  of  Heaven,    or  from 

fome  other  felfifh  Confideration. And  UNDER  ALL 

CIRCUMSTANCES^  we  are  naturally  under  the  Govern- 
ment of  thefe  Difpofitions.  In  Profperity  •,  then,  from  an 
Inclination  to  love  our  felves  fuprerriely,  feek  our  own 
Happinefs  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not 
God,  wholly,  it  is  our  Nature  to  rejoice  and  be  glad.  And 
from  the  famelnclination  we  are  difpofed  to  mourn  &  mur- 
mur and  be  difcontented  under  Adverjity.  At  the  redSea  it  was 
natural  for  the  Israelites  to  fing  Praife  :  at  the  bitter  Waters 
it  was  as  natural  to  murmur.  When  we  are  pleafed,  then 
we  are  glad  ;  when  we  are  crofs'd,  then  we  are  fad ;  but 
naturally  we  don't  care  how  it  goes  with  God's  Intereft  in 
the  World,  what  becomes  of  his  great  Name,  or  whether 
his  Honour  finks  or  fwims.  No,  there  is  but  here  and 
there  a  Mofes  that  cares  any  Thing  about  this :  but  if  they 
can  have  their  own  Wills,  and  fecure  their  own  Interefts, 

they  are  content. While  the  Spirit  of  God  lets  Sinners 

alone  and  they  live  fecure  and  unconcerned,  then  from  the 
aforefaid  Propenfities  they  are  after  the  World  ;  one  after' 
one  Thing,  and  another  after  another  :  and  altho'  they  may 
keep  up  a  Form  of  Religion  for  faftiion  fake,  yet  really  they 
care  nothing  about  God  and  Things  eternal.  When  they 
come  to  be  awakened  to  a  Concern  for  their  Souls,  tho* 
they  reform  their  Lives  and  take  very  different  Courfes 
from  what  they  ufcd  to  do,  yet  fUU  all  is  from  tlte  fame 

Principle 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   157 

Principle  and  for  the  fame  End.     They  have  new  Lives, 
but  the  fame  Nature.     They  don't  really  care  for  God  or 
hisGlory  any  more  than  they  uled  to  do,  nor  take  any  Con- 
tent in  him,  but  are  only  after  Pardon  of  Sin  and  Peace  6f 
Confcience,  which  according  to  their  prefent  Senfations  and 
Apprehenfions,  they  think  would  make  them  happy.    Sin- 
ners don't  really  feek  for  BlefTednefs  in  God  himfelf,  but  in 
fomething  they  hope  to  receive  from  him.    And  hence  when 
awakened  Sinners  come  to  get  falfe  Comfort,   think  they 
are  pardoned,  and  fo  have  Peace  ;    or  think  that  Chrilb 
loves  them,  and  that  they  fhall  go  to  Heaven,  and  fo  are 
filled  with  Joy  •,  as  all  their   Joy  refults    from  Self-love 
merely,    fo  all  they  rejoyce  in,   is  what  they  think  they 
have  received,  and  what  they  hope  yet  to  receive  ;  but  they 
don't  really  care  for  God  himfelf,  (whofe  Glory  they  never 
faw,)  any  more  than  they  ufed  to  do,  nor  rejoyce  in  Him.: 
and  hence  (ordinarily)  having  their   Confciences  quieted, 
they  foon  go  back  to  the  World  again  for  real  Comfort 
and  Bleflednefs.     Or  if  after  falfe  Comfort  they  turn  En- 
thufiafts,  and  get  to  blazing^  and  wax  hotter  and  hotter,  and 
feem  to  be  full  of  nothing  but  Love  to  God  and  Zeal  for 
his  Glory  •,  it  is  Vifions  and  Dreams,  Revelations  and  Im- 
pulfes,  a  firm  Perfv/afion  they  are  the  peculiar  Favourites 
of  Heaven,  and  the  Applaufe  of  their  Party,  which  they 
live  upon  and  take  Comfort  in,  and  by  which  they  are  ani- 
mated •,   and  all  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends  :    but  in 
Deed  and  in  Tnith,  they   neither  know  God,  nor  regard 
him  nor  his  Glory,nor  live  upon  him, nor  delight  in  him,any 
more  than  they  ufed  to  do  :    And  thus  in  all  Things,  and 
under  all  Circumftances,  unregenerate  Men  are  governed 
by  a  Difpofition  to  love  themfclves  fupremely,  live  to  them- 
felves  ultimately,  and  delight    in  that  which  is  not  God 
wholly.     And  whofoever  is  well  acquainted  with  Mankihd 
may  eafily  fee  that  this  is  in  Fadt  the  very  Cafe,  and  will 
naturally  be  led  to  make  the  fame  Obfcrvation  with  the*  A- 
poftle  PauU  in  Phil.  2.  21.  Ail  feek  their  own^   and  not  the 
"Things  which  are  Jefus  Cbrift^s. 

And  now  this  Difpofition,  which  is  thus  evidently  natii- 
ral  to  all  Mankind,  is  dire^ly  contrary  to  God's  holy  Law, 
is"e^.^ingfmful^  and  is  the  Root  of  all  Wickednefs.     Firft, 


158         T^rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

it  is  diametrically  oppofite  to  God's  holy  Law.     For  this 
requires  us  to  love  God  fupremely  and  feek  his  Glory  ulti- 
mately ;  in  diredl  Contrariety  whereunto,  we  are  naturally 
inclined  to  love  our  felves  fupremely  and  live  to  our  felves 
ultimately.     Again,  theLaw  requires  us  to  delight  in  God 
fuperlatively  and  choofe   him  and  live  upon  as  the  only 
Portion  of  our  Souls  •,  in  direct  Contrariety  whereunto,  we 
arc  naturally  inclined  to  place  our  whole  Hearts  upon  other 
Things,   and  live  upon  them  and  take  Content   in  them. 
Finally,  the  Law  requires  us  to  love  our  Neighbour  as  our 
felves  and  do  as  we  would  be  done  by  -,  in  dired  Contra- 
riety whereunto,we  are  naturally  inclined  to  be  inordinately 
felfifh,   and  fo  not  to  do  as  we  would  be  done  by.     And 
thus  we  are  all  naturally  gone  out  of  the  Way\  and  in  the 
Temper  of  our  own  Minds  become  corrupt ^fik by  and  unpro- 
ft able ^and  there  is  none  righteous  •,  no^  not  one.  Pfal.14.R0m. 
3.  10. — 19.  We  have  loft  the  Image  of  God,  we  have  loft 
a  right  Temper  of  Mind,  we  have  loft  a  governing  Senfe 
of  the  nioral  Fitnefs  of  Things,  have  no  Eyes  to  fee  moral 
Beauty,  or  Hearts  to  tafte  and  relifti  the  moral  Excellency 
of  fpiritual  and  divine  Things,   i  Cor.  2.  14.     Hence,  in 
God  we  can  fee  no  Form  nor  ComiClinefs,nor  in  him  at  all 
delight-,  yea, 'tis  natural  for  it  to  feem  to  us  as  if  there  was 
no  God.  Ffal.14. 1 .     And  now,  as  tho'  in  very  Deed  there 
were  no  God  for  us  to  be  in  Subjedion  unto,  wc  fet  up 
for  our  felves,  to  make  our  own  Intereft  our  laft  End,  and 
to  feek  Bleffednefs,  not  in  God,  but  in  fomething  elfe  ;  and 
are  naturally  inclined,  without  any  Regard  to  God's  Law, 
to  make  our  own  Wills  our  only  Rule  ♦,    and  now,  having 
caft  off  the  Government  of  God,  and  forfaken  the  Foun- 
tain of  living  Waters,  we  go  every  one  his  Way,  one  to  his 
Farm,  another  to  his  Merchandife,  zil  ferving  divers  Lufts 
and  Pleafures. — So  that  it  might  juftly  be  wondered  at,how 
any  among  Mankind  ftiould  ever  have  it  enter  into  their 
Hearts,  to  imagine  that  we  are  not  fallen  Creatures,  uni- 
verfally  depraved,  when  it  is  fo  evidently  a  plain  Matter  of 
Faa.     I  think,  it  can  be  owing  to  nothing,  but  Men's  Ig- 
norance of  the  Law,  in  it's  fpiritual  Nature,  Purity,Stri6t- 
nefs  and  Extent,  and  their  not  comparing  themfelves  there* 
with.     And  indeed  St.  ?<?»/ tells  us  that  this  is  th^Cafe* 

Rom. 


and dijlinguiped from  all  Counterfeits.   159 

Rom.  7.  8.  For  without  the  Law  Sin  was  dead.  For  did 
Men  but  rightly  apprehend  that  God  is  fuch  a  one  as  the 
Law  fpeaks  him  to  be,  and  that  he  requires  us  to  be  what 
really  he  does,  they  could  not  pofTibly  but  fee  their  native 
Contrariety  to  God  and  his  holy  Law.  The  Ifraelites  of 
old  felt  their  Contrariety  to  their  Prophets,  and  they  hated 
them  and  put  them  to  Dea^h  •,  and  the  Pharifees  felt  their 
Contrariety  to  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles,  and  hated  them  and 
put  them  to  Death  ;  for  they  perceived  what  their  Prophets, 
and  what  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles  were  driving  at :  but  yet 
all  the  while  they  imagined  they  loved  God  and  loved  his 
Law,  becaufe  they  neither  knew  God  nor  underftood  his 
Law.  And  even  fo  it  is  at  this  Day.  If  an  Arminian  or 
Pelagian  (for  after  all  their  Pretences,  they  are,  by  Nature, 
juft  like  the  reft  of  Mankind^  did  but  verily  believe  God 
juft  fuch  an  One  as  the  godly  Man  in  fad  fees  him  to  be, 
he  would  feel  as  great  a  Contrariety  to  him  and  Enmity  a- 
gainft  him  as  any  Calvinift  ever  fuppofed  there  was  in  natli* 
ral  Men.  They  frame  a  falfe  Image  of  God  in  their  own 
Fancies,  to  fuit  the  vitiated  Tafte  of  their  corrupt  Hearts, 
and  then  cry,  We  are  not  Enemies  to  God ;  no^  but  it  is  na- 
tural for  us  to  love  him.  When  all  the  while,  their  native 
Averfion  to  God,  will  not  fomuch  as  fufFer  them  to  believe, 
that  there  is  any  fuch  Beings  as  really  he  is.  But  to  proceed. 

The  aforefaid  Difpofition  and  Bent  of  Heart,  which  is 
thus  diredly  contrary  to  the  Law,  is  exceeding  Jinful.  For 
while  we  love  our  felves  fupremely  and  live  to  our  felves 
tiltimatcly,  we  do  really  in  our  Hearts  and  by  our  Pradlice 
prefer  our  felves  above  God,  as  if  we  were  more  excellent 
and  worthy  :  in  which  we  caft  infinite  Contempt  on  the 
Lord  of  Glory,  in  as  much  as  all  theNations  are  in  his  Sight 
but  as  a  Drop  of  the  Bucket  and  fmall  Duft  of  the  Ballance, 
and  we  compared  with  him  are  lefs  than  Nothing  and  Va-,. 
nity.  He  is  of  infinite  Majefty,  Greatnefs,  Glory  &  Excel-  > 
lency,  and  all  Heaven  adore  him  in  the  moft  humble  Prof- 
trations  •,  and  yet  we,  mean  Worms  of  the  Duft,  yea  vile 
Worms  of  the  Duft,  that  deferve  every  Moment  to  be 
fpurned  to  Hell ;  even  we  efteem  and  love  our  fekes  more 
th^  wc  do  him,  and  are  more  concerned  for  our  Intereft 
than  f(^<  his  Honour  j  yea,  care  not  at  all  for  him  or  his 

Honour, 


i6o       True  Religion  deli/teat ed         Dis,  I. 

Honour,  nor  would  ever  fo  much  as  pretend  to,  if  not  ex- 
cited thereto  from  the  Expedlation  of  Self- advantage  :  And 
that  even  altho'  we  receive  Life  and  Breath  and  all  Things 
from  him,  and  his  Right  to  us  is  original,  underived,  per- 
fect and  entire.  Surely  this  is  infinite  Wickednefs  !  And 
befides,  in  being  and  doing  fo,  wc  affront  his  facred  Au- 
thority, whereby  as  Governourt)f  the  World  he  commands 

us  to  love  him  v/ith  all  ourHearts. And  further,  while 

we  are  inclined  to  take  our  whole  Delight  in  that  which 
is  not  God,  to  forfake  him  the  Fountain  of  living  Waters, 
the  Ocean  of  all  Good,  aod  feek  Comfort  andContent  elfe- 
where  ;  we  hereby  prefer  the  World  above  God,  prefer  our 
Wives  and  Children,  our  Houfes  and  Lands  and  Pleafures 
above  God,  or  at  bed  we  prefer  (an  imaginary)  Heaven 
above  God  :  to  do  either  of  which,  cafts  infinite  Contempt 
upon  the  Lord  of  Glory,  the  Delight  of  Angels,  the  Joy  of 
the  heavenly  World.  The  Pfdmift  faid.  Whom  have  I  in 
Heaven  hit  thee  ?  and  there  is  nothing  onEarth  I  dejire  bejides 
thee.  Pfal.  y^.  25.  And  well  might  he  fay  fo.  But  to  be 
inclined,  when  we  are  fecure  in  Sin  and  not  terrified  with 
Hell,  to  love  and  defire  any  Thing  upon  Earth  more  than 
God  -,  and  when  under  Terrors  and  fearful  Expedlations  of 
Wrath,  to  defire  Pardon,  Peace,  and  (an  imaginary)  Hea- 
ven, and  any  Thing  to  make  us  happy,  but  God  himfelf ; 
is  furely  infinitely  vile.  We  do  hereby  prefer  that  which 
is  not  God,  above  God  himfelf-,  as  if  it  was  really  of  more 
Worth  •,  and  fo  caft  infinite  Contempt  upon  the  Ocean  of 
BlefTednefs  and  Fountain  of  all  Good.  And. befides  in  this, 
as  well  as  the  former  Particular,  we  go  dire6tly  contrary  to 
the  exprefs  Command  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  whole 
World.  Finally,  to  be  difpoled  to  an  inordinate  (and  fo  to 
a  groundlefs)  Self-love,  and  to  be  fwallowed  up  in  felfifh 
Views  and  Defigns,  inftead  of  a  tender  Love  and  cordial 
Benevolence  to  all  otn:  Fellow-Men,  loving  them  as  our 
felves,  is  evidently  contrary  to  all  the  Reafon  and  Nature 
of  Things,  and  to  the  exprefs  Command  of  God,  which  is 
infinitely  binding  -,  and  fo  this  alfo  is  infinitely  finful.  And 
thus  thefe  our  native  Propenfities  are  diredly  contrary  to 
the  holy  Law  of  God,  and  exceeding  finful. 

^       But 


and  diftingutped frcm  all  Counterfeits,  j  6 1 

But  here  it  may  be  inquired  :  "  If  a  Difpofition  to  love 
"  our  leives  fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and 
*'  to  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God  wholly,  be  fo  exceed- 
^^  ing  Untul,  whence  is  it  that  Men's  Confciences  do  not  any 
*^  more  accufe  and  condemn  them  therefor  V^  To  which 
the  Ayijwer  is  plain  and  eaiy  •,  for  this  is  evidently  owing  to 
their  intolerable  mean  Thoughts  of  God.  Mai.  i.  6,  7,  8.  A 
Sen  honoureth  his  Father^  and  a  Servant  his  Mafter :  If  then 
I  be  a  Father y  where  is  mine  Honour  ?  And  if  I  he  a  Mafter^ 
where  is  my  Fear  ?  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofts  unto  you^  O 
Priefts^  that  defpife  my  Name  :  and  ye  fay  ^  Wherein  have  we 
defpifed  thy  Name  ?  Te  offer  polluted  Bread  upon  mine  Altar  ; 
fand  fo  ye  defpife  me  :)  a.fid  (yet)  'ye  fay ^  Wherein  have  we- 
polluted  thee  F  (I  anfwer)  In  that  (in  doing  fo)  Vi?  (pradical- 
ly)  fay^  The  Table  of  the  Lord  is  contew.ptible    (And  fo  you 

treat  me  with  Contempt.) -And  yet  their  Confciences 

did  not  fmite  them,  and  therefore  the  Lord  adds- And 

if  ye  offer  the  Blind  for  Sacrifice.,  is  it  not  Evil  ?  and  if  ye  offer 

the  Lame  and  Sick^  is  it  not  Evil  ?  (ox  am  I  fo  mean  and 

conLemptible,  that  to  do  fo  ought  not  to  be  looked  upon  as 

an  Affront  ?    I  appeal  to  the  common  Senfe  of  Mankind,) 

Offer  it  now  unto  thy  Govcrnour^  will  he  he  pleafed  with  theCy 

or  accept  thy  Tei'fon  ?  faith  the  Lord  of  Hofts,    (And  if  your 

Governour  will  take  it  as  an  Afii'ont,  much  more  may  \)for 

lam  a  GREAT  KING,  faith  the  LORD  of  Hofts,  f,   14, 

He^  it  is  plain,  that  it  w^as  their  mean  and  contemptuous 

Thoughts  of  God,  which  made  them  think  it  would  do, 

to  turn  him  off  any  how,  and  with  any  Thing.     And  juft 

fo  it  is  in  the  Cafe  before  us  *,  Men's  Thoughts  of  God  are 

infinitely  mean  ;  He  is  very  contemptible  in  their  Sight  : 

and  hence  altho'  they  love  themfelves,their  ownHonour  and 

Intereft,above  theLord  &  hisGlory,and  prefer  otherThings, 

and  take  more  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God,  than  in 

God  himfelf  -,  yet  they  fay,  "  Wherein  do  we  defpife  the 

"  Lord,  affront  his  Majefty,  or  caft  Contempt  upon  him  ? 

"  We  pray  in  fecret  and  in  our  Families,  we  go  to  Meet- 

"  ing  and  to  Sacrament,   and  help  to  fupport  theGofpeU 

"  and  is  not  all  this  to  honour  the  Lord  .'*     And  wherein 

*'  do  we  defpife  him  ?" — Juft  as  if  going  into  your  Clofet 

twice  a  Day  to  quiet  your  Confcieace,  and  faying  over  the 

M  oiu 


1 62         True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

old  Prayer  by  Rote  in  your  Family,  that  you  have  repeated 
Morning  and  Evening  ever  fince  you  kept  Houfe  •,  and  in 
a  cuftomary  Way  going  to  Meeting  and  to  Sacrament,  and 
paying  your  Minifter's  Rate,  (and  it  may  be  not  without 
grudging  \)]\\^  as  \ithis  was  a  honouring  of  God  ;  when  at 
Heart  you  do  not  love  him  one  Jot,  nor  care  for  his  Ho 
jiour  and  Intereft  at  all,  nor  would  do  any  Thing  in  Reli- 
gion but  for  the  Influence  of  Education  and  common 
Cuftom,or  from  legalFears  and  mercenary EIopes,or  merely 
from  fome  other  felfifh  Confideration  :  yea,  jull  as  if  this 
was  an  honouring  of  God,  when  all  the  Time  you  caft  fuch 
infinite  Contempt  upon  him  in  your  Heart,  as  to  give  your 
Heart  to  another^  to  that  which  is  not  God,  to  your  felf 
and  to  the  World  ! — Let  a  Woman  treat  her  Hujfband  fo, 
will  he  be  pleafed  with  it,  and  will  he  accept  her  Perfon  ? 
If  fhe  does  not  love  her  Hulband  at  all,  or  delight  in  his 
Perfon,  or  care  for  his  Intereft ;  if  fiie  loves  another  Man, 
has  a  feparate  Intereft  of  her  own,  and  does  nothing  for  her 
Hufband  but  to  ferve  her  own  Ends  :  will  he  now  think 
fhe  is  a  good  IVife^  becaufe  Morning,  Noon  and  Night,  fhc 
prepares  his  Food,  tho'  Ihe  does  it  carelefly,  the  Victuals 
always  cold  and  poorly  drefs'd,  hardly  fit  to  eat  \  and  he 
knows  it  is  all  from  want  of  Love  :  And  befides,lhe  thinks 
fhe  does  a  great  deal  for  him,,  and  expects  her  Fay  like  a 
hired  Maid ! — And  Ihe  fays  to  herHufband,  "Wherein  do 
*'  I  defpife  you  ?  Am  not  I  always  doing  for  you  ?"  And 
fhe  does  not  feel  her  felf  to  Blame,  becaufe  her  LIufband 
looks  fo  mean  and  contemptible  in  her  Eyes  :  and  Ihe  cares 
fo  httle  for  him,  that  any  Thing  feems  good  enough  for 
him  :  while  all  the  time  her  whcrilh  Heart  is  doating  on 
her  Lovers. — Says  her  Hufband,  "  You  do  not  love  me, 
*'  but  other  Men  have  your  Heart,  and  you  are  more  a 
"  PFife  to  them  than  to  me.'' — But  fays  flie,  "  I  can't  love 
*'  you,  and  I  can't  but  love  others."  And  now  fhe  feems  to 
her  felt  not  to  blame.  So  a  wicked  World  have  fuch  mean 
Thoughts  of  God,  that  they  cannot  love  him  at  all,  and 
have  fuch  high  T  houghts  of  themfelvcs,  that  they  can't 
but  love  themfelvcs  fupremely  :  they  have  fuch  mean 
Thoughts  of  God,  that  they  can't  delight  in  him  at  all; 
but  they  fee  a  Glory  in  other  Things,  and  fo  in  them  they 

can'c 


and  di/iinguij bed  from  all  Counterfeits,  1 63 

car/t  but  delight  wholly  :  And  becaufe  they  arc  habitually 
inienlible  of  God's  infinite  Glory,  lience  they  are  habitually 
infenfible  of  the  exceeding  Sinfulnefs  of  thefe  native  Propen- 
fities  of  their  Hearts.  So  that  we  fee,  that  mean,  contemp- 
tuous Thoughts  of  God  are  the  very  Foundation  of  the 
Peace  and  Quiet  and  Security  of  Men  in  a  mere  Form  of 
Religion.  iT  tliey  did  but  fee  who  the  Lord  is^  they  could 
not  but  judge  themfelves  and  all  their  Duties  to  be  infinitely 
odious  in  his  Sight.  Ffal.  51.  21,  22.  nefe  "Things  haft 
thou  done^  and  I  kept  Silence  :  thou  thoughteft  I  was  altogether 
fuch  a  one  as  thy  f elf :  hut  I  will  reprove  thee^  and  fet  them 
in  order  hefore  thine  Eyes,  Now  ccnftder  this^  ye  that  forges 
God.  Men  have  fuch  mean  Thoughts  of  God  and  fo  little 
regard  him,  that  they  are  naturally  inclined  to  forget  that 
there  is  a  God,  and  to  feci  and  atS  as  if  there  were  none. 
Hence  {PfaL  14.1-)  The  Fool  faith  in  his  Hearty  there  is  -no 
God.  i.  e.  he  is  inclined  to  feel  and  ad  as  if  there  was  none. 
And  therefore  it  is  added  in  the  next  Words,  Corrupt  are 
they.  So  the  Children  of  Eliy  v/ho  treated  the  Worihip  of 
God  with  great  Contempt,  are  faid  to  defpife  the  Lord  and 
kick  at  his  Sacrifice  ;  .and  yet  their  Confciences  did  not  fmite 
them  :  and  the  Ground  of  all  was  their  mean  contemptuous 
Thoughts  of  God.  i  Sam.  2.  12,29,30.  The  Sons  of  ¥Xi  were 
Sons  of  Belial,  they  knew  not  the  Lord.  And  thus  we  fee 
that  our  native  Difpofition  to  love  our  felves  fupremely^ 
live  to  our  felves.  ultimately,  and  delight  wholly  in  that 
which  is  not  God,  is  (whether  w^e  are  fenfible  of  it,  or  no,) 
directly  contrary  to  God's  holy  Law,  and  exceeding  finfuL 
And  I  add. 

This  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  the  Root  cf  all  ShZy 
fthe  pofitive  Root,  I  mean,  in  oppofition  to  a  meer  priva- 
tive Caufe)  of  all  our  inward  Corruptions  &  vicious  Practi- 
ces ;  both  of  thofe  which  are  contrary  to  the/?/  and  to  the 
fecond  Table  of  the  Law,  cf  thofe  which  more  immediately 
affront  God,  and  of  thofe  which  more  efpecially  refped 
our  Neighbour. 

From  this  Root  arifes  all  our  evil  Carriage  towards  the 
Lord  of  Glory.  This  is  the  Root  of  a  Spirit  cf  Self-fupremacy  -, 
whereby  we  in  our  Hearts  exalt  our  felves  and  our  Wills 
above  the  Lord  and  his  Will,  and  refufe  to  be  controuled 

M  2  '  by 


164         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

by  him  or  be  in  Subjeftion  unto  him.  Jehovah  afifumes 
the  Chara6ler  of  moft  high  God,  fupreme  Lord  and  fove- 
reign  Governour  of  the  whole  World,  and  commands  all 
the  Earth  to  acknowledge  and  obey  him  as  fuch  ;  but  we 
are  all  naturally  inclined  Pharach-like  to  fay,  V/ho  is  the 
Lcrd^  that  we  Jhould  obey  him  /  'uue  know  not  the  Lord^  nor 
ijcill  we  do  his  IVilL  And  hence  Mankind,  all  the  World 
over,  break  God's  Law,  eveiy  Day,  before  his  Face  •,  as  if 
they  defpifed  his  Authority  in  their  Hearts.  And  when 
he  crofles  them  in  his  Providences,  they,  as  tho*  it  was  not 
his  Right  to  govern  the  World,  quarrel  with  him  \  becaufe 
they  can't  have  their  own  Wilh^  and  go  in  their  own  Ways. 
This  w^as  always  the  Way  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  thofe 
forty  Years  in  the  Wildernefs,  whofe  whole  Conduct  ex- 
emplifies our  Nature  to  the  Life,  and  in  which  Glafs  we 
may  beheld  our  Faces,  and  know  what  Manner  of  Perfons 
we  natively  be.  Men  love  themfelves  above  God  and 
don't  like  his  Law,  and  hence  are  inclined  to  fet  up  their 
"Wills  above  and  againil  his  ;  and  if  they  can^  they  will^ 
have  their  Wills,  and  go  in  their  Ways,  for  all  him  \  and 
if  they  canU.,  they  will  quarrel  with  him.  And  hence  thi 
Apoftle  fays,  l^he  carnal  Mind  is  Enmity  againft  God.,  is  not 
fubjeSt  to  his  Law^  neither  indeed  can  be.  Rom.  8.  7. 

And  from  this  Root  arifes  a  Spirit  of  Self-fufficiency  and 
Independency  \  whereby  we  are  lifted  up  in  our  own  Hearts, 
and  hate  to  be  beholden  to  God  •,  and  having  different  In- 
terefts  and  Ends  from  him,  naturally  think  it  not  fafe,  and 
fo  upon  the  whole  not  liking, to  trull  in  him.,  chufe  to  trufl 
in  our  felves,  or  any  Thing  rather  than  him.  W'e  have 
a  better  Thought  of  our  felves  than  of  God,  as  knowing 
we  are  difpofed  to  be  true  to  our  own  Inteiefts  and  Ends, 
and  therefore  had  rather  truft  in  our  felves  than  in  him  ; 
and  befides,  we  naturally  hate  to  come  upon  cur  Knees  to 
him  for  every  Thing.  Hence,  that  in  Jer.  2.  31.  is  the 
native  Language  of  our  Hearts,  IVe  are  Lords.,  we  will  corns 
no  more  unto  thee.  We  love  to  have  the  Staff  in  our  own 
Hands,  for  then  v/e  can  do  as  we  will ;  and  hate  to  lie  at 
God's  Mercy,  for  then  we  muff  be  at  his  Controul  ;  yea, 
"Vft  had  rather  truft  in  any  Thing  than  in  God,  he  being 
of  all  Things  moft  contrary  to  uSr     And  hence  the  Ifrae- 

litcs 


.  and  dijiiftguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   165 

lites  in  their  Dillrefs,  would  one  while  make  a  Covenant 
with  AJfyria^  and  then  lean  upon  Egypt  -,  yea,  and  rob  the 
Treafur'es  of  the  Temple  to  hire  their  Aid,  rather  than  be 
beholden  to  God.  Yea,  they  would  make  them  Gods  of 
Silver  and  Gold,  of  Wood  and  Stone,  and  then  truft  in 
fuch  lying  Vanities,  rather  than  in  the  Lord  Jehovah. 
And  as  Face  anfwers  Face  in  the  Water^  fo  does  the 
Heart  of  Man  to  Man.Yrov.  27.  1 9. This  is  our  veryNature. 
Again,from  thefameRootarifes  2iDifpofitionto  depart  from 
the  Lord.  For  other  Things  appear  more  glorious  and  ex- 
cellent and  Soul-fatisfying  than  God.  Wherefore  the 
Hearts  of  the  Children  of  Men  fecretly  loath  theLord,  and 
hanker  after  other  Things,  and  fo  go  away  from  God  to 
them.  Job  21.  12,14.  ^ey  take  the  'timbrel  and  Harp^  and 

rejoyce  at  the  Sound  of  the  Organ, Therefore  they  fay  unto 

God,  Depart  from  us,  for  we  dejire  not  the  Knowledge  of  thy 
JVays.  Mai.  3.  14,  15.  It  is  vain  to  ferve  Gcd  :  and  what 
frofit  is  it,  that  we  have  kept  his  Ordinance,  and  that 
we  have  walked  mournfully  before  the  Lord  of  Hofis?  — • 
JVe  call  the  Proud  happy.  Meditation  and  Prayer  are  a 
Burden  to  Men ;  they  had  rather  be  almofc  anywhere 
than  in  their  Clofets  ;  becaufe  they  fecretly  loath  theLord  ; 
but  in  other  Things  they  findComfort,  one  in  his  Farm  and 
another  in  his  Merchandife,  the  young  Man  in  his  Frolicks 
and  with  his  merry  Companions,  the  old  Man  in  his  Wife 
and  Children,  and  Cattle  and  Swine,  and  Houfe  &  Lands, 
the  rich  Man  in  his  Riches,  the  ambitious  Man  in  his  Ho- 
nours, the  Scholar  in  his  Books,  the  Man  of  Contempla- 
tion in  his  nice  Speculations  :  and  in  any  Thing  Men  can 
take  more  Comfort  than  in  God  himfelf.  That  whichAn- 
gels  and  Saints  in  Heaven,  and  Believers  on  Earth,  prize 
above  all  Things,  Men  have  naturally  the* leail  Account  of. 
Pfal.  73.  25.  JVho7n  have  I  in  Heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is 
nothing  on  Earth  I  deftre  hefides  thee.  Jer.  2.  5,  11,  12,  13. 
Thus  faith  the  Lord,  What  Iniquity  have  your  Fathers  found 
in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far  from  me,  and  have  walked  after 
Vanity,  and  become  vain  ?  Hath  a  Nation  changed  their  Gods^ 
which  are  yet  no  Gods  ?  But  my  People  have  changed  their 
Glory  for  that  which  doth  not  profit.  Be  aflonifhed,  O  ye 
Heavsps,  at  this.^^They  have  forfaken  me  the  Fountain  of 

M  3  ^^^^ 


1 66  Irue  Religion  delt?ieated       Dis.  I. 

living  IVatas^  and  hewed  them  out  Cifterns^  broken  Cifiems 
that  can  held  no  Water, 

And  from  the  whole,  we  may  fee  there  is  the  greatefl 
Contrariety  between  the  Nature  of  God  an  i  the  Nature  of 
the  Sinner.  And  hence  God  hates  Sinners,  {Hah.  i.  13.) 
and  Sinners  hate  him  {Rom.  8.  7.)  and  when  Sinners  come 
to  die  a. id  go  into  the  eternal V/orld,they  will/^^/  then  that 
they  hate  him,  tho'theirNature  then  will  beji^.d  the  fame  as  it- 
is  nc-v/.  And  they  v/ill  then  know  that  the  i^reatReafon  they 
did  not  feel  their  Hatred  of  him  in  this  World,  was  becaufe 
they  did  not  thiyik  nor  would  believe  that  he  was  fuch  r.n  One. 

And  hence  we  may  fee  whence  it  is,  that  we  are  fo  averfe 
to  right  Apprehenfions  of  God,  and  whence  it  is  that  our 
Infenfibility  of  his  Glory  in  being  v/hat  he  is,  is  fo  invinci- 
ble, viz.  becaufe  he  is  in  his  very  Nature   in  fuch  perfedl 
Contrariety  to  us,  and  we  to  him.     For  to  account  that 
infinitely  glorious  in  being  what  it  is,  which  is  of  a  Nature 
perfeclly  contrary  to  us,  is  as  unnatural  as  to  account  our 
felves  infinitely  hateful  in  being  v/hat  we  be ;  for  that  ne~ 
cefTarily  implies  this.     So  far  therefore  as  Sinners  love  thcm,- 
felves  for  being  what  they  be,  fo  far  do  they  hate  God  for 
being  what  he  is  :  And  fo  far  as  they  hate  God  for  being 
wha^  he   is,     fo  far  their  Infenfibility  of  his  infinite  Glo- 
ry in  being  jud  fuch  a  one  is  invincible.  And  now  iinceMen 
naturally  peri'edly  love  themfelves  for  being  what  they  be, 
and  confequently  perfedly  hate  God  for  being  what  he  is  -, 
hence  their  Minds  are  naturally  perfeclly  prejudiced  againil 
the  true  Knowledge  of  God,  and  perfedly  averfe  to  and 
infufceptive  of  a  Seiffe  of  his  infinite  Glory   in  being  juft 
what  he  is.     And  hence  it  is,that  neither  God's  Word  nor 
\Vorks,  nor  any  thing  but  his  almighty  Spirit,    can  make 
Men  in  their  Heaits,  both  really  give  into  it,   that  God  is 
juft  fuch  a  One  as  he  is,  and  infinitely  glorious   in  being 
fuch.     The  Heavens  may  declare  the  Glory  of  the  Lord, 
Jind  mike  the  invifiblc  Things  of  God  ck^arjy  to  be  {t(^a  ; 
and  theScriptures  andMinifbers  may  proclaim  hisGreatnefs 
andGlcr)'5&theHoriour  of  hisMajcily  •,  butSinners  in  feeing- 
Will  not  fee,  and  in  hearing  will  not  hrar  and  underftand  :''' 
for  they  do  not  like  to  haveGod  in  theirKnowledg^;  They 
hate  the  Lis^ht,  and  loveDarkneft  •.  the >'  Itate  to  think  tha%-^ 

.         '  God 


and  didtnguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits   167 

God  lliould  be  Rich  a  One,  can  fee  no  Glory  in  him  in 
being  fuch,  fecretly  willi  he  was  another  Kind  of  a  Being, 
dread  to  think  that  he  is  what  he  is,  and  will  not,  if  they 
can  help  it.  7^^.  3.  ic)^20.Rom.  i.  2%.Joh,  8.  43,  47.That 
God  fhould  love  Himfelf  more  than  he  does  his  finful  Crea- 
tures, and  value  his  own  Honour  and  Intereft  more  than  he 
does  our  Happinefs,  and  look  upon  it  as  an  infinite  Affront 
that  we  are  not  exactly  of  the  fame  Mind,  and  judge  us 
worthy  of  eternal  Damnation  therefor,  and  as  high  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World  make  fuch  a  Law  and  bind  us  to  it  to 
do  fo  ;  how  can  this  fuit  a  proud  Rebel,  that  only  loves 
himfelf  and  his  own  Intereft,  and  cares  not  for  God  at  all  ? 
How  can  a  carnal,  felfiih  Heart  dehght  in  fuch  a  God,  and 
account  him  infinitely  glorious  in  being  fuch  ?  How  can 
he  rejoyce  to  hear  that  he  fits  King  for  ever,  and  does  all 
Things  according  to  the  Counfel  of  his  own  Will,  aiming 
viitimately  at  his  own  Glory  ?  Or  how  can  he  imagine 
that  fuch  a  Condudt,  fo  dire6lly  crofs  to  his  Temper,  is 
infinitelyRight  and  becoming,glorious  and  excellent  ?  The 
Temper,  the  had  Temper  of  Sinners  Hearts  is  it,  that  ren- 
ders their  Infenfibility  of  his  Glory,  in  being  what  he  is, 
fo  invincible.  He  does  not  fuit  them,  he  does  not  look 
upon  Things  as  they  do,  he  is  not  difpofed  nor  does  he  a6t 
as  they  would  have  him,  but  all  diredly  contrary  :  as  con- 
trary as  Light  and  Darknefs,  as  Sin  and  Holinefs,  as  Hea- 
ven and  Hell.  Therefore  the  carnal  Mind  is  Enmity  againji 
God.  But  to   return. 

From  this  fame  Rooty  this  Difpofition  to  love  our  felves 
fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that 
which  is  not  God  wholly,  "proceeds  all  our  e-vil  Carriage  to- 
wards our  Neighbour,  Pride,  Seififhnefs  and  Worldlinefs, 
lay  the  Foundation  for  all  that  cheating,  lying,  backbiting, 
quarrelling,  there  is  among  Neighbours  ;  and  for  all  the 
Feuds  and  bloe)dy  Wars  there  ever  have  been  among  all  the 
Nations  of  the  Earth  from  the  beginning  of  the  World. 
And  Pride,  Selfilhnefs  and  Worldlinefs,  together  witji  that 
Enmity  againft  God  and  true  Religion  which  is  naturally 
concomitant,  lay  the  Foundation  for  all  thofe  bloody  Per- 
fecutions,whieh  have  been  in  the  feveral  Ages  of  the  World, 
agaixift  the  Church  and  People  of  God     If  Men  were  nor 

M  4  proud 


1 6  8         True  Religion  deVmeated       D  i  s .  I . 

proud  nor  felfifh,  they  would  have  no  IncHnatioa  to  injure 
their  Neighboars  in  Naine  or  Eftate.  If  they  took  their 
fuprerne  DcHght  in  God  as  the  Portion  ot  their  Souls,  they 
would  not  have  ^ny  of  their  little  petty  Idols  to  quarrel 
and  contend  about.  If  they  loved  their  Neighbours  as 
-thernfelves,  there  would  never  more  be  any  Thing  like 
Pe.lecution  \  and  all  Injuries  and  Abufes  would  ceafe  from 
the  Earth. —  So  that,  to  conclude,  as  a  Difpofition  to  love 
God  with  all  our  Hearts  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves, 
is  an  habitual  Conformity  to  the  whole  Law,  and  lays  a 
folid  Foundation  for  a  right  Carriage  towards  God  and  our 
Neighbour  in  all  Things  ,  fb  a  Difpofition  to  love  our 
•fcives  fapremely,  live  to  our  felves  ultimately,  and  delight 
in  that  v/hlch  is  not  God  wholly,  is  an  habitual  Contrariety 
to  the  whole  Law,  and  lays  a  fad  Foundation  for  all  evil 
Carriage  tov/ards  God  and  our  Fellow-Men.  And  as  I 
faid,  this  Difpofition  is  natural  to  "us,  and  we  are  na|:uraliy 
entirely  under  the  Government  ox  it  :  And  fo  the  Seed  and 
Root  of  all  Sin  is  in  us,  even  in  the  native  Temper  of  our 
Hearts,     l^hat  which  is  hern  of  the  Flejb^  is  FleJIj. 

Ob  J.  But  if  Mcmkind  neither  love  Gcd  nor  tbsir  Neigh- 
hours  with  a  genuine  Love^  fuch  as  thehaw  requires^  hut  natu- 
rally have^  and  are  entirely  under  the  Goi:ernment  of^  a  Spirit 
of  Contrariety  to  the  whole  Law  •,  whence  is  it  that  all  Men 
don^t  hlafpherae  God^  and  do  all  the  Mi f chief  they  can,  and  tn 
Pra5iice  as  well  as  in  Nature,  be  as  bad  as  Devils  ? 

Ans.  Becaufe  of  the  Rejiraints,  which  God  for  wife  Ends 
and  Purpofes,  is  pleafed  to  lay  upon  them  ;  whereby  their 
Nature  is  indeed  not  at  ail  altered,  but  only  in  a  Meafurc 
kept  from  breaking  out,  as  otherwife  it  would  do.  And 
thefe  Reftraints,  in  ordinary,  are  fuch  as  arife  from  thefe 
Things.  ( I . )  From  their  animal  Conftitution :  whereby  many , 
are  inclined  to  be  tender-hearted,  companionate  and  kind, 
without  any  Regard  to  God  or  Duty,  from  a  Sort  of  natu- 
ral Inftind,  much  of  the  fame  Nature,  to  all  Appearance, 
as  is  to  be  found  in  many  in  the  brutalVVorJd. —  (2.)  From 
natural  Affeclicn :  whereby,  partly  from  animal  Nature, 
and  partly  from  Self-love,  and  from  being  brought  up  to- 
f^ethcr.  Relatives  have  a  certain  Fondnefs  for  one  another, 
ftnd  fo  are  difpofcd  to  be  kind  to  cnc  angiher,   and  that 

without 


and  dijlinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.    1 6g 

without  any  Regard  to  God  or  Duty  ;  much  as  it  is  with 
many  in  the  brutal  World.— (3.)  From  ^good  Education  ; 
whereby  many  are  influenced  to  be  civil  in  their  Behaviour, 
honeil  in  their  Dealings,  kind  to  the  Poor,  and  to  pray  in 
their  Families,  and  join  with  the  Church  &c..tho*  deflitute 
of  Grace  in  theirHearcs. — (4.)  From  worldly  Confiderations : 
whereby,  from  Self-love,  in  order  to  avoid  PuniHiment 
from  Men,  or  from  iisar  of  Difgrace  and  Reproach,  or  to 
get  the  Good-wiil  of  others,  or  promote  fome  worldly  In- 
tereft,  Men  are  influenced  fometimes  to  carry  themfelves 
externally,  very  well. — (5.)  From  religious  Confiderations  : 
whereby  from  Sdf-love,  the  Fear  of  Heil,  and  the  Flope  of 
Heaven,  many  are  influenced  to  do  much  in  Religion.  — ■ 
(6.)  IVant  of  fpeculativeKnowledge  of  GQD '^  Ignorance  of 
his  Refolution  to  puniih  Sin,  and  of  his  Anger  againft 
them,  is  alfo  an  Occafion  of  their  not  blafpheming  his 
Name;  as  they  will  do,  as  loon  as  ever  they  come  into 
Eternity,  and  fee  howThings  really  be  •,  tho'  then  their  Na- 
tui  e  will  be  exadly  the  fame  that  now  it  is.  God  givesRain 
and  fruitful  Seafons,  and  iiils  the  Hearts  of  ail  with  Food 
and  Gladnefs  -,  he  makes  his  Sun  rife  and  Rain  fall  upon 
the  Evil  and  Unthankful,  and  offers  Salvation  in  Cafe  they 
rq^ent  and  believe  •,  whence  Men  are  ready  to  think  that 
God  loves  them,  and  this  reftrams  them.  Thefe,  and  fuch 
iilve  Things,  reftrain  Men's  Corruptions ;  but  for  which, 
they  would  be  as  bad  in  this  World,  as  they  will  be  in  the 
next,  when  thefe  Reftraints  come  to  be  taken  off. 

To  what  has  been  faid,  may  alfo  be  added,  that  God 
by  thefe  three  Methods,  does  much  to  reftrain  many. 
(i.)  By  his  Providence  :  Whereby  he  many  Times  brings 
remarkable  Judgments  upon  Men  for  their  Sins  \  and 
remarkably  profpers  Men,  as  to  the  Things  of  this  World, 
who  are  true  to  their  Word  and  honeft  in  their  Dealings. 
And  hereby  Men  are  afraid  to  be  and  do  as  bad  as  other- 
wife  they  would,  left  foms  Judgment  fhould  come  upon 
them  ♦,  and  others  are  influenced  to  be  honeft,  and  to  car- 
ry themfelves  externally  well,  in  hopes  of  a  worldly  Blef- 

fing. (2.)  By  his  JVord\  his  written  Word,  and  his 

Word  preached  :  whereby  Men  are  made  more  fenfiblc 

that  there  is  a  Heaven  and  a  Hell  i  and  fo  are  the  more 

:- .. .  reftrained 


Tjo  True  ReIigio?2  delineated       Dis.  L 

retrained  and  kept  in  Awe. —  (3.)  By  his  Spirit :  whereby 
he  does  much  to  make  many  a  Man  fenfible  of  the  Evil  of 
Sin,  the  Dreadfulnefs  of  Damnation,  and  theGlory  of  Hea- 
ven,   whom    he   never  fandlifies  :  whereby  they  are  not 
only  reftrained  from  viciousPradtices,  but  theirCorruptions 
alfo  are  greatly  flunned,  and  they  made  zealous  Promoters 
of  Religion.  [Heb.  6,  4.)    And  thus  the   fupreme  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World  retrains  Men's  Corruptions,  and  main- 
tains fome  Degree  of  Order  among  his  rebellious  Subjeds. 
But  yet  all  thefe  Reftraints  notwithilanding,  there  is, 
1^  and  always  has  been,  abundance  of  Wickednefs  committed 
m  in  this  apoilatc  World.     They  have  murthered  God's  Ser- 
vants the  Prophets,  whom  the  Lord  has  fent  unto  them, 
rifing  early  and  fending.     And  they  have  killed  his   Son, 
and  his  Apoftles,  and  llied  the  Blood  of  Thoufands  and 
Millions  of  his  Saints.     So  great  has  been  theirAverfion  to 
God !  And  fo   great  their  Cruelty  !  And  by  the  many 
Wars  there  have  been  among  the  Nations  from  the  Begin- 
ning, the  whole  Earth  has  been  filled  with  Blood.     And 
by  cheating  and  lying  and  backbiting  and  Contention  &:c. 
Hateful  and  hating  one  another^  innumerable  Injuries  have 
been  done  to,   and  unfpeakable  Miferies  brought  upon, 
one  another.     And  as  foon  as  ever  Mankind  have  their 
Reftraints  taken  off  at  Death,  without  having  any  Sin  in- 
fufed  into  their  Nature,  they  will  appear  to  be  what  they 
are,  they  will  feel  and  adl  like  very  Devils. 

But  in  the  mean  while,  by  Means  of  thefe  Reftraints 
many  deceive  themfelvcs.  For  our  Corruptions,  being  thus 
capable  of  being  reftrained,  and,  as  it  were,  ftunn'd,  and 
our  Lives  of  being  pretty  well  regulated  to  Appearance, 
while  our  Nature  remains  the  fame,  and  we  feeling  our 
lelves  able  to  do  confiderable  towards  this  •,  hence  many 
are  deceived,  and  take  this  to  be  real  Religion,  and  think 
they  did,  and  that  others  may,  convert  themfelves,  with 
but  comparatively  little  AfTiftance  from  God's  Spirit.  And 
truly  fo  they  might,if  this  was  true  Religion,&  Converfion 
confifted  in  thus  reforming  our  Lives,  and  reftraining  our 
Corruptions.  But  in  Converfion  our  very  Nature  muftbe 
changed,  (2  Cor.  5.  1 7.)  the  native  Bent  of  our  Hearts  muft 
be  turned-,  {Ezek. 36.26.)  and  this  v/e  are  naturally  wholly 

averfe 


and  dijiingtdjhed  frG7n  ail  Counterfeits.  171 

avcrfe  unto.     And  hence  aiifes  the  abfolute  Neceflity  of 
a  fapernatural,  irrefiftible  Grace,  in  order  to  our  Conver- 
fion.     Of  which  more  aiterwards. 
But  to  return, 

From  what  has  been  faid  we  fee,  that  we  are  natively 
difpofed  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  to  live  to  our  felves' 
ultimately ,**and  delight  in  that  w^hich  is  not  God,  wholly  i' 
and  that  this  Difpofition,  by  which  we  are  naturally  entire-" 
iy  governed,  in  all  Things  and  under  all  Circumftances,  is 
in  dired  Contrariety  to  the  holy  Law  of  God,  and  is  ex- 
ceeding fmful,  and  is  the  Root  of  all  Sin,  of  all  our  evil 
Carriage  towards  God  and  Man,  in  Heart  and  Life.  So 
that,  as  to  have  a  Difpofition  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts,  and  oui-  Neighbour  as  our  lelves,  is  a  radical  Con- 
formity to  the  whole"  Law  v  fo  this  contrary  Difpofition  is 
a  radical  Contrariety  to  the  whole  Law.  Well  therefore 
may  the  holy  Scriptures  fpeak  of  Sinners,  as  being  dead  in 
Sin^  and  at  Enmity  agai?ijt  Gcd^  and  by  Nature  Children  of 
Wrath^  and  reprefent  them  fo  frequently  as  being  Ene- 
mies to  Ged.  {Eph.  2.  I,  3.  Rom.  8.7.  and  5.  10.  2  Cor. 
5.  18 — 20.)  Since  by  comparing  our  felves  with  the  holy 
Law  of  God,  w^e  are  found'  to  be,  in  Fa5i^  natively  fo,  in 
the  Temper  of  our  Minds.  And  it  will  be  for  ever  in  vain, 
for  Mankind  to  plead  not  guilty.,  fmce  the  Law.  of  God  is 
what  it  is.,  and  we  are  what  we  he.  For  by  the  Law  by 
which  is  ^heKnowledge  of  Sin.,  w^e  evidently  Hand  condemned. 

Here  it  may  be  ohjeSied.,  "  That  we  are  natively  no 
"  otherwife  than  God  makes  us  \  and  if  therefore  we  arc 
**  natively  finful,  God  made  us  fo  ;  and  by  Ccnfequence 
"  is  the  Author  of  Sin.''  But  this  Objediion  has  been  alrea- 
dy obviated.  For,  as  has  been  obferved,  God  only  creates 
the  naked  EfTence  of  our  Souls,  our  natural  Faculties,  a 
Power  to  think  and  will  and  to  love  and  hate ;  and  this 
evil  Bent  of  our  Hearts  is  not  of  his  makings  but  is  the  fpont a- 
7teous  Propenjity  of  our  own  Wills.  For  we,  being  born  de- 
void of  the  divine  Image,  ignorant  of  God,  and  infenfible 
of  his  infinite  Glory,  do  of  our  own  Accord  turn  to  our 
felves  and  the  Things  of  Time  and  Senfe,  and  to  any 
Thing  that  fuits  a  gracelefs  Heart,  and  there  all  our  Affec- 
tions center  \  from  whence  we  natively  become  averfe  to 

God 


172  T^rue  Religmt  delineated       Dis.  I. 

God  and  to  all  that  which  is  fpiritually  Good,  and  inclined 
to  all  Sin.  So  that  the  pofttive  Corruption  of  our  Nature 
is  not  any  Thing  created  by  God  ;  but  arifes  7nerely  from 
a  privative  Caufe. 

Here  it  will  be  chje5fed  again,  "  That  it  is  not  confident 
"  with  the  divine  Perfedions,  to  bring  Mankind  into  the 
"  World  under  fuch  fad  and  unhappy  Circumfbances." — 
But  who  art  thou^  O  Man^  that  replieft  againft  God  ?  Shall 
the  mng  formed  fay  unto  him  that  for ?ned  it^  PFhy  hafl  thou 
formed  me  thus  P  It  is  blafphemous,  to  fay,  that  it  is  not 
confiflent  with  the  divine  Perfedions  to  do,  what  God  IN 
FACT  does.  It  is  a  plain  Matter  of  Fatl^  that  we  are 
born  into  the  World  devoid  of  the  divine  Image,  ignorant 
of  God,  infenfible  of  his  infinite  Glory.  And  it  is  a  plain 
Matter  of  Fa5i^  that  in  Confequence  hereof  we  are  natively 
difpoied  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  live  to  our  felves  ul- 
timately, and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God,  wholly. 
And  it  is  plain  to  a  Demonflration,  that  this  Temper  is  in 
dire6l  Contrariety  to  God's  holy  Lav/,  is  exceeding  finful, 
and  is  the  Root  of  all  Wickednefs.  ISlow^  to  fay,  it  is  not 
confiflent  with  the  divine  Perfections,  that  Mankind  fhould 
be  brought  into  the  World,  as  in  FACT  they  be,  is  wick- 
edly to  fly  in  the  Face  of  our  almighty  Creator,  and  ex- 
prefsly  charge  him  with  Unrighteoufnefs ;  which,  furely 
does  not  become  us.  If  we  cannot  fee  into  this  Difpenfa- 
tion  of  divine  Providence,  yet  we  ought  to  remember,  that 
God  is  holy  in  all  his  Ways^  and  righteous  in  all  his  Works ^ 
and  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  always  does  right,  I 
don't  mean,  that  Things  are  therefcre  nght^  merely  becaufe 
God  does  them  ^  for  if  they  w^re  not  right  to  be  done, 
antecedently  to  his  doing  of  them,  he  would  not,  he  could 
not  do  them.  But  I  mean,  that  when  it  is  a  plain  Matter 
of  Fa£i  that  God  does  fuch  a  Thing,  we  may  thence  con- 
clude that  it  is  moft  certainly  right  for  him  to  do  fo,  altho* 
we  cannot  underftand  how  it  is.  We  ought  to  remember 
that  he  is  infinite  in  his  Underftanding,  and  at  one  compre- 
henfive  View  beholds  all  Things,  and  fo  cannot  but  know 
what  is  right  and  what  is  wrong  in  all  Cafes :  and  his  Judg- 
ment is  unbiafTed,  the  Redlitude  of  his  Nature  is  perfedl, 
he  cannot  therefore  but  do  right  always,and  in  all  Inftances 


goveriP. 


and  dijlinguipjed  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.   173 

govern  the  World  in  Righteoufnefs.  But  our  Minds  are 
narrow  and  conrradled,  we  are  but  of  Yefterday  and  know 
Nothing  :  and  befidesjour  Judgments  are  biaffed  thro'  our 
mean  Ihoughts  of  God  and  high  Thoughts  of  our  feives  ; 
and  hence  we  may  be  eafily  miftaken.  Elpecially  in  this 
Cafe,  our  Minds  arc  fadly  biafled,  and  it  is  almoft  impofTi- 
ble  for  us  to  confider  the  Matter  with  a  Spirit  of  difintereft- 
ed  Impartiahty.  And  thefe  Confiderations  ought  to  check 
our  rifing  Thoughts,  and  make  us  He  down  in  the  Dufl 
before  the  great  and  righteous  and  good  Governour  of  the 
World,  with  humble  Silence,  even  aitho'  we  cannot  under- 
iland  his  Ways.  And  I  believe  that  a  humble  Difpofition 
ot  Heart  would  lay  an  effedual  Foundation,  for  us  to  come 
to  be  fatlsfyed  in  this  Matter :  it  being  our  meanThoughts 
of  God  and  high  Thoughts  of  our  felves,  which  blinds  01  r 
our  Minds,  that  we  cannot  fee  ;  and  difpofes  us  to  quarrel 
with  our  Creator,  and  find  fault  with  the  Ruler  andDifpo- 

fer  of  the  World. It  is  true,  that  the  holy  Scriptures 

confider  Mankind  as  being  what  they  be,  and  fays  but 
little  about  the  Way  in  which  they  came  to  be  in  fuch  a 
Condition.  And  there  is  good  Reafon  for  it  •,  for  it  is  of 
infinitely  greater  Importance  that  we  fhould  know  what  a 
Condition  we  are  in,  than  how  we  came  into  it.  And  it  is 
a  fooliih  Thing  for  us,  and  contrary  to  common  Senfe,  to 
lay  the  Blame  any  where  but  upon  our  felves,  fmce  we  are 
voluntarily  fuch  as  we  be,  and  really  love  to  be  what  we  be, 
do  not  fincerely  defire  to  be  otherwife,  but  are  utterly  averfe 

to  it. But  yet  the  holy  Scriptures  fay  fo  much  about 

the  Way  of  our  coming  into  our  prefentCondition,  as  might 
fully  facisfy  our  Minds,  were  not  our  Judgments  bialTed. 
For  from  them  we  learn,  that  Man  was  made  upright^  was 
created  in  God's  Image^  and  by  rebelling  againft  his  Maker 
brought  a  Curfe  upon  himfelf  and  all  his  Race.  Gen.  i.  2j, 
Eccl.  7.  29.  Rom.  5.  12 — 19.  There  we  read,  that  by  one 
Man.,  Sin  entered  into  the  World  -,  that  by  one  Man's  Difobe- 
dieyice^  many  were  made  Sinners  ^  that  by  the  Offence  of  one^ 
Judgment  came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation.  Adam  was 
created  in  the  Image  of  God,  it  was  connatural  to  him  to 
love  God  with  all  his  Heart,  and  this  would  have  been  our 
Cafe,  had  he  not  rebelled    againft  God  j  but  now  we  are 

bora 


174  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

born  devoid  of  the  dlyine  Image,have  nolleart  for  God,are 
Tranfgrellbrs  from  the  Womb,  by  nature  Children  of  Wrath, 
And  if  any  fhould  inquiie,  "  But  can  it  he  right,  that 
"  4damh  Sin  fliould  have  any  Influence  upon  us  ?" 

I  Anfivery  It   is  a  plain  Cafe,  that  it  aitually  has,   and 
.we  may  depend  upon  it,  that  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  al- 
ways does  right.     And  befides,  why  might  not  God  make 
Adam  our  publick  Head  and  Reprefentative  to  ad:  in  our 
Ropm%as  he  has  fince.for  our  Recovery  made  his  cc^n  Son 
our  publick  Head  and  Reprefentative  ?  Rem,  5.  12  —  21. 
He  had  as  much  Rights  Poizcr  and  Authcrity  for  one,  as  for 
the  other.      And  was  not  Ada-m  as  likely  to  remain  obedi- 
ent, as  any  of  us  fliould  have  been,  and  in  fome  Rcfpec:s 
more  likeiy  }  His  natural  Powers  were  ripe  -,  he  fliood  not 
only  for  himfelf,  but  for  all  his  Race  -,    a  whole  World  lay 
at  Stake.     And  if  he  had  kept  the  Covenant  of  his  God, 
and  fecured  Happinefs  to  all  his  Race,  ihould  we  not  for 
ever  have  bleifed  God,  for  fo  good  a  Conftitution  .^    Never 
once  fhould  we  have  queftioned  God's  Right  and  Authcrity 
to  make  him  our  pubhck  Head  and   Reprefentative,  or 
nave  thought  that  it  did  not  become  his  Wifdom  &  Good- 
nefs  to  truit  our  i\ll  in  his  Hands.     And  if  we  fliould  thus 
have  approved  this  Conftitution,  had  Adara  never  finned  ; 
v;hy  might  we  not  as  juftly  approve  it  now,   if  we  would 
be  but  difintereftediy  impartial  ?     It  is  the  fame  in  it  felf 
nc%i\  that  it  would  have  been  then^  every  way  as  holy,  juft 
and  good. —  "  Oh  but  for  God  to  damn  a  wholeWorld  for 
*'  one  Sin  !  " — But  ftay  ;  —Does  not  this  arife  from  mean 
Thoughts  of  God,  and  high  Thoughts  of  your  felf?    O, 
think  who  theLord  is  !  And  what  it  is  for  a  Worm  to  rife 
in  Rebellion  againft  him  !  And  how  he  treated  wholeThou- 
fands  oi glorious  Angels  for  their  firft  Sin  !  And  then,thin]^ 
how  God  drowned  the  oldJVcrld^  burnt  Scdcm  %  and  of  the 
dreadful  Things  he  intends  to  do  to  the  Impenitent  at  the 
Day  of  Judgment !  And  learn,  and  believe,  that  Sin  is  an 
infinitely  greater  Evil  than  we  naturally  imiagine. 

But  I  muft  return  to  my  Subjedt,  for  it  is  not  my  prefent 
Bufinefs  fo  much  to  fhew,  how  we  came  into  this  Condition^ 
as  plainly  to  point  out  ivhat  that  Condition  is,  which  we  are 
a^ually  in.     As  to  this,  the  whole  Scriptures  are  very  plain, 

bu; 


and  dijli7'iguij]jed from  all  Counterfeits.    175 

but  efpecially  the  Lav;,  by  which  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin^ 
clearly  difcovers  what  our  Cafe  is,  and  beyond  Difpute 
proves,  that  all  are  under  Sin.  And  having  already,  by 
comparing  our  fclves  with  the  Law,  found  out  what  our 
Nature  is,  I  proceed  to  make  Ibme  further  Obfervations ; 
in  which  I  defign   much  greater  Brevity. 

4.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  learn,^^^^  the  very 
heft  religions  Performances  of  all  unregenerate  Man  are,  com- 
plexly confidered,  finful,  and  fo  odious  in  the  Sight  of  God, 
They  may  do  many  Things  materially  Good,  but  the  Prin- 
ciple^End  and  Maimer  of  them  are  fach,as  xhdit^compleacly  con- 
fidered, what  they  do  is.  Sin  in  the  Sight  of  God.  For  Sin 
is  a  "Trayifgreffon  of  the  Law. But, 

(i.)  The  Law  requires  all  Mankind  to  do  every  Duty 
out  of  Love  to  God  and  for  his  Glory  :  But  all  unregene- 
rate Perfons,  dire5ily  contrary  to  Law,  do  every  Duty  mere- 
ly out  of  Love  to  themfelves  and  for  Self-Ends  :  And  fo 
are  guilty  of  Rebellion. 

(2.)  The  Law  requires  all  Mankind  to  do  every  Duty 
out  of  Love  to  God  and  for  his  Glory  :  But  all  unregene- 
rate Perfons  do  every  Duty  merely  out  of  Love  to  them- 
felves and  for  Self-Ends  •,  whereby  they  prefer  themfelves  and 
their  Liter  eft,  above  God  and  his  Glory :  And  fo  are  guilty  of 
fpiritual  Idolatry. 

(^.j  The  Law  requires  all  Mankind  to  do  every  Duty 
from  Love  to  God  and  for  his  Glory  :  But  all  unregenerate 
Perfons  do  every  Duty  merely  from  Self- Love  and  for 
Self-Ends  •,  and  yet  hypocritically  pretend  to  God,  that  they 
love  and  obey  him  :    And  fo  are  guilty  of  mocking  God. 

C4.)  The  Law  fuppofes  that  God  infinitely  deferves loht 
loved  with  all  our  Hearts  and  obeyed  in  every  Thing,  and 
that  our  Neighbour  deferves  to  be  loved  as  our  felves ;  and 
that  therefore  if  we  fhould  yield  perfect  Obedience  in  all 
Things,  yet  we  fliould  deferve  no  i'hanks  :  But  all  unrege- 
nerate Perfons  make ^UC/Q7  of  their  Duties,  tho'  fuchmi- 
ferable  poor  Things  :    And  fo  affront  God  to  his  very  Face. 

Upon  thefe  four  Accounts,  their  very  heft  Performan- 
ces are  done  in  a  Manner  diredly  contrary  to  the  Law  of 
God,  and  fo  are  fmful,  and  therefore  odious  in  the  Sight  of 
God.  (Prcv.  15.3.  &  21,  ij.  Horn.  3.  8.  PfaL  88.  36,37.) 

As 


176        True  Religion  delineated  Dis.  I. 

As  is  the  Tree,  fo  is  the  Fruit  -,  as  is  the  Fountain,  fo  are 
the  Streams  -,  And  as  is  the  Man,  fo  are  his  Doings,  in  the 
Sight  of  God,  who  locks  at  the  Heart  {Matt.  12.  ^3,34, 
35  J  and  judges  not  according  to /Appearance,'  but  judges 
righteous  Judgment :  And,  with  whom,  many  Things,thar 
are  highly  efteemed  among  Men,  are  Abomination. 

And  if  their  befb  religious  Performances  are  thus  odious 
in  the  Sight  ot  God,  it  is  certain  that  they  cannot  poflibly, 
in  the  Nature  of  Things,  have  the  leaf!:  I  endency  to  make 
Amends  for  their  paft  Sins,  or  recommend  them,  to  the  di- 
vine Jb  avour  •,  but  rather  tend  to  provoke  God  ftill  more. 
So  that  2/  is  not  cf  him  that  Wills ^  mr  of  him  that  Runs^  but 
cfGcd  that/hews  Mercy.  Nor  is  diere  the  lead  Hope  in 
the  Sinner's  Cafe,  but  what  arifes  from  tlie  fovereign  Mer- 
cy of  God  ;  whereby  he  can  haveMercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
Mercy.,  and  have  Compaffion  on  ivhom  he  will  haveCompqJwn, 
Rom.  9.  15,  18. 

True,  feme  being  ignorant  of  theLaw,  and  of  our  entire 
Contrariety  to  it,  have  fancied  a  Gcodnefs  in  the  Sinner's 
Duties  ;  and  hence  have  perfwaded  themlelves  that  there  are 

Promifes  of  fpecialGrace  miade  to  them. Not  that  there 

are  any  Promifes  inScripture,  of  that  Nature  •,  for  theScrip- 
ture  every  where  confiders  us  as  being,  while  unregenerate, 
dead  in  Sin.  Eph  2.1.  Enemies  to  God.  Rom.  5.  10.  2Cor. 
5.  17 — 20.  Col.  I.  21.  Yea,  Enmity  againjl  biin.  Rom. 
8.  7.  And  fo  far  from  any  true  and  acceptableObedience 
to  God,as  that  we  are  not^nor  can  be  fubjed:  to  the  Law,and 
{ocannct  plcafcGod.  Rom.  8.  7,  8.  And  every  where  repre- 
fents  fuch,  as  being  under  the  Wrath  of  God.,  the  Curfe  of  the 
Law^zv\6.  a  frefent  Coiidemnation.  Joh.  3.  18,  36. Rom.  1.18. 
Gal.  3. 10. — But  the  real  Ground  of  their  Opinion  is,  their 
Ignorance  of  the  Sinner's  finful,  guilty  Circumftances,  and 
their  fond  Conceit  that  there  is  fome  real  Goodnefs  in  what 
the  Sinner  does.  Both  which,  are  owing  to  their  Igno- 
rance of  the  Law,  *  and  of  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs. 

Rom, 

*  'Tis  manifeft,  that  this  Notion  of  the  Promifes,  of  which  Pelagius  was 
the  Author,  and  which  was  condemned  for  Herefy  above  1 300  Years 
a^o,  did  with  him,  and  does  with  his  Follow  ers,take  its  Rife  originaUy 
from  their  Ignorance  of  the  Nature  and  Meaning  of  the  moral  L2». 


and  dtfii7igutp:)ed  from  all  Counterfeits.   177 

Rom,  7.  8,  9.  Rom.  10.  3.  All  will  own,  that  if  Sinners 
Duties,  are  fuch  as  I  have  rcprefented,  it  is  abfurdjand  even 
iiiconfiitent  with  the  divine  Perfedions,  that  Promifes  of 
fpecial  Grace,  fhould  be  made  to  them. 

'Tis  true,  they  refer  to  Matt.  25.  29.  To  him  that  hath^ 
jhall  he  given.  But  that  Text  evidently  fpeaks  of  the  final 
Rewards  which  fhall  be  given  to  the  Godly  at  the  Day  of 
Judgment  \  when  all  the  Unregenerate  lh»all,with  thejloth- 

ful  Servant^  be  caft  into  outer  Darknefs. They  quote 

alfo  Matt.  7.  7.  JJk  and  you  Jhall  receive,  &c.  But  the  Con- 
dition of  this  Promife  was  never  yet  performed  by  an 
unregenerate  Sinner.  For  this  ajkiftg  is  meant  right  ajking'^ 
for  thofe  who  ajk  amifs  receive  nothing.  Jam,  4.  3.  Right 
ajking  of  Grace,  fuppofes  right  Dejires  of  it ;  but  the  un- 
regenerate are  in  the  habitual  Temper  of  their  Hearts  di- 
redily  contraiy  to  Grace  and  all  fpiritual  Good,  and  en- 
tirely fo,  as  has  been  proved.  But  to  have  genuine  Bejires 
after  a  Thing,  and  a  perfect  Contrariety  to  it,  in  the  whole 
Heart,  at  the  fame  Time,  is  an  exprefs  Contradidtion. 
The  Reafon  that  Sinners  many  Times  think  that  they  love 
Holinefs,  and  defire  heartily  andfmcerely  to  be  made  holy,  is, 
that  they,  being  ignorant  of  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs, 
have  framed  difalfe  Image  of  it  in  their  own  Fancies.  Did 
they  but  diilindly  know,  the  very  Thing  itfelfy  their  native 
Contrariety  to  it  could  no  longer  be  hid.  Rom.y.S^g,  So  the 
Pharifees  thought  they  loved  God,  and  loved  his  Law ;  al- 
tho'  at  the  fame  Time  they  perfectly  hated  the  Son  of  God, 
who  was  the  exprefs  Image  of  his  Father,  and  came  into 
the  World  to  do  Honour  to  his  Father's  Law.  They  had 
wrong  Notions  of  God  and  of  his  Law. 

Ob  J.  But  this  tends  to  drive  Sinners  toDefpair, 

Answ.  Only  to  defpair  of  being  faved  by  their  own 

Righteoufnefs,  which  they  mull  be  driven  to,  or  they  will 

never  fubmit  to  be  faved  by  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift. 

Rom,  7.  8, 9.  and  10.  3.  Obj. 

N 

But  yet  fome  good  Men  may  have  been  inadvertently  led  into  this 
Error  by  the  Force  of  Education.  I  believe  Men's  Hearts  may  be 
fometimes  better  than  theirHeads.  But  when  a  falfe  Scheme  of  Reli- 
gion does  perfeftly  fuit  a  Man's  Heart,  and  exprefs  the  Temper  of  his 
Mind,  then  no  Doubt  he  is  gracelefs.  z  Joh.  9.  &  Joh.  8.  47.  The 
above  Not:«n  of  the  Promifes  perfeaiy  fuits  a  felf-righteous  Heart. 


jy8        True  Religion  delineafed        Dis.  L 

^-  Ob  J.  Burif  thefe  nings  he  true^  there  is  not  any  Motive  to 
'excite  a  poor  Sinner  to  rej arm ^or  pray ^  or  read^or  do  any  Thing, 

Answ.  By  whichy  it  is  plain,  that  a  Sinner  cares  not  a 
Jot  for  God,  and  will  not  go  one  Step  in  Religion,only  for 
what  he  can  get.  And  n'  fuich  a  Sinner  had  ever  fo  many 
Motives,  he  would  only  ferve  himlelf,  but  not  fervc  God 
at  all.  And  what  Encouragement  can  God,confi(lent  with 
his  Honour,  g'.ve  to  fuch  a  one,  fince  he  merits  Hell  every 
Moment,  even  by  his  beft  Duties,  but  only  that  which  St. 
Peter  gave  to  Simon  Magus  P  Adl.  8.-  22.  Repent, and  pray  to 
Cod,!f  PERJDFENTJREtbeWlckcdnds  of  thy  Heart  may 
be  j  or  given  thee, 

Ob  J.  But  this  way  of  Reafoning  will  make  Sinners  leave  off 
feeking  and  flriving,  and  Jit  down  dijcouraged. 

ANSw^  Not  it  Sinners  are  but  effectually  awakened  to 
fee  how  dreadful  Damnation  is  •,  for  a  bare.  Who  can  tell? 
will  make  fuch  refolve  to  run,  and  fight,  and  ftrive,  and 
beg,  and  pray  'till  they  die  •,  and  if  they  perifh,  to  perifh 
at  God's  Foot.  And  as  for  others,  ail  their  Courage  ari- 
fes  from  their  not  feeing  what  wretched,  miferable,  finful, 
guiky  Creatures  they  are  ;  and  fo  muft  be  dafn'd  to  Pieces 
fooner  or  later,  in  this  World  or  the  next,  w^henever  their 
Eyes  come  to  be  opened.  And  if  God  ever  in  this  World 
lliews  them  what  they  be,  they  will  thereby  perceive  what 
Danger  they  are  in  :  And  now  a  mere  who  can  ted  ?  will 
make  them  alfo  refolve  to  run  for  eternal  Salvation,  'till 
their  very  laft  Breath.  'Tis  bell  that  falfeConfidence  Hiould 
be  killed,  and  this  Way  of  Reafoning  does  not  in  the  leafl 
tend  to  hurt  any  other.  'Tis  beft  that  Sinners  (liould  know 
the  word  of  their  Cafe,  and  this  Way  of  Reafoning  does 
not  tend  to  make  it  appear  a  Jot  worfe  than  it  is. 
i  Ob. J 4  But  what  Good  does  it  dc,  for  Sinners  to  be  in  fuch 
earneji  to  reform,  read,  watch,  pray,  run,  fight,  f  rive,  as  for 
for  their  Lives  \fince  all  they  do  is  Sin,and  God  will  have Mercy^ 
only  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy. 

Answ.  ( I .)  It  is  iefs  Sin  to  do  thefe  Things,  than  not  to 
do  them. 

;  (2.)  Sinners  never  will'  be  in  fuch  earnell,  only  when 
God  comes  to  awaken  and  convince,  and  fo  to  make  them 
effectually  fcnfibie  of  the  areadiul  State  they  arc  in  j  and  it 
fc«/  is 


and dijlinguiped from  all  Counterfeits.   179 

is  not  any  Difcouragemcnts  that  can  keep  them  from  being 
in  fuch  earneft  then^^o  long  as  the  leailHope  appears  in  their 
Cafe.  Other  People  care  but  little  about  eternal  Things, 
and  do  but  very  little  in  Religion,  but  what  Education, 
Cuilom,  the  FaQiion  and  their  worldly  Interell  excites  them 
unto.  Moft  People  think  it  fo  eafy  a  Thing  to  be  faved, 
as  that  they  look  upon  fuch  great  Concern  and  Earneftnefs, 
as  perfect  Frenzy. 

(3.)  This  great  Earneflnefs  of  awakened  Sinners  makes 
them  try  their  Strength  to  Purpofe  ;  whereby  they  come 
to  be  experimentally  convinced,  that  it  is  not  in  their 
Hearts  to  love  God,  be  forry  for  Sin,  or  do  any  Thing 
that  is  Good  -,  whereby  the  high  Conceit  they  ufcd  to 
have  of  their  Ability  and  good  Nature  is  brought  down, 
and  they  feel  and  find  that  they  are  Enemies  to  God  and 
dead  in  Sin.  And  hereby  a  Foundation  is  laid  for  them 
to  fee  the  Juftice  of  God  in  their  Damnation,  and  fo  the 
Reafonablenefs  of  God's  having  Mercy,  only  on  whom  he 
will  have  Mercy.  And  thus  the  Law,  tho'  it  cannot  give 
Life^  yet  is  a  School-mafter  to  bring  Men  to  Chrifi,  And  thus 
the  main  Good  the  awakened  Sinner  gets,  by  going  to  this 
School-mafter^  is  effeduaily  to  learn  his  Need  of  Chrill,  and 
ofthe freeGrace  ofGod  thro'  \-\\m.Rom.y .^^().Gal.'^,2 1 — 24, 
This  is  the  great  End  God  has  in  View,  and  this  End  all 
the  Sinner's  earneft  Strivings  are  well  calculated  to  obtain. 

5.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  learn  the  Nature  of 
afaving  Ccnver/ion,  and  the  Manner  wherein  it  is  wrought^ 
Converlion  confifts  in  our  being  recovered,  from  our  pre- 
fcnt  Sinfulnefs,  to  the  m.oral  Image  of  God  :  Or  which  i& 
the  fame  Thing,  to  a  real  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law* 
But  a  Conformity  to  the  moral  Law,  confifts  in  a  Difpofi- 
tion  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and 
delight  in  him  fuperlatively  ^  and  to  love  our  Neighbour  ' 
as  our  felves  :  and  a  Pradice  agreable  thereto.  And  there- 
fore Converfion  confifts  in  our  being  recovered  from  what 
we  arc  by  Nature,  to  fuch  a  Difpofition  and  Pradtice. 

And  now  in  order  to  fuch  a  glorious  Renovation  and 
Recovery,  God  by  his  Spirit  fcts  home  the  Law  upon  the 
Sinner's  Heart,  caufing  him  to  fee  and  feel,  to  Purpofe, 
juft  how  he  has  lived,  and  what  he  is,  and  what  be  deierves^ 

N  2  and 


1 8  o       ^rue  Religion  delineated         D  i  s .  I. 

and  how  he  is  in  the  Hands  of  a  fovereign  God,  and  at  his 
Difpofal :  whereby  the  Hindrances  which  were  in  the  Way 
of  his  Converrion,are  in  a  Sort  removed.  Rom.  7.8,  9.  For 
without  the  Law  Sin  was  dead.  For  I  was  alive  without  the 
Law  once  :  but  when  the  Commandment  camt^  Sin  revived^and 

1  died. —  And  then  God  who  commanded  the  Light  to  Jhine 
cut  of  Darknefs.,  floines  in  the  Hearty  and  gives  the  Light  of  the 
Knowledge  of  the  Glory  cf  God  in  the  Face  of  Jefus  Chriff^ 

2  Cor.  4.  6.  And  now  a  Senfe  of  the  Glory  of  God  and 
divine  Things  being  thus  imparted  to  the  Soul  by  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  and  the  Sinner  being  raifed  up  from  fpiritual 
Death  to  fpiritual  ^  Life,  does  return  home  to  God  thro' 
Jefus  Chrift,  venturing  his  Soul  and  immortal  Concerns 
upon  the  free  Grace  of  God,  and  thro*  him  gives  up  himfelf 
tb  God  to  be  his  for  ever  •,  to  love  him  fupremely,  live  to 
him  intirely,  and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  for  ever 
to  walk  in  all  his  Ways.  And  hereby  at  the  lameTime  the 
Man's  Heart  begins  to  be  habitually  framed  to  love  his 
Neighbour  as  himfelf,  with  a  difinterefted  Impartiality. 
And  thus  an  effedhial  Foundation  is  laid,  for  univerfal  ex- 
ternal Obedience,  and  that  from  genuine  Principles. 

And  as  the  divine  Life  is  thus  begun,  fo  it  is  carried  on 
in  the  Soul  much  after  the  fame  Manner.  The  Spirit  of 
God  fhews  the  Believer  more  and  more  what  a  poor,  finful, 
Hell-deferving  Wretch  he  is  in  himfelf,  and  fo  makes  him 
more  and  more  fenfible  of  his  abfolute  Need  of  free  Grace 
thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  to  pardon  &  to  fandlify  him.  He  grows 
in  a  Senfe  of  thefe  Things  all  his  Days  •,  whereby  his  Heart 
is  kept  humble,  and  Chrift  and  free  Grace  made  more  pre- 
cious. The  Spirit  of  God  fhews  the  Believer  more  &  more 
of  the  infinite  Glory  and  Excellency  of  God,  whereby  he  is 
more  and  more  influenced  to  love  him,  live  to  him,  and 
delight  in  him,  with  all  his  Heart.  And  by  the  whole, 
his  Heart  is  filmed  roore  and  more  to  love  his  Neighbour 
as  himfelf.  And  thus  the  Path  of  the  Juft  is  like  a  fhining 
Light.,  that  ftjines  more  and  rnce.,  to  theperfe^  Day.  i'rov.4. 
iS.  Only,  it  muft  be  obferved,  that  the  Sp'rit's  Operations 
after  Converfion,  are  attended  with  two  Differences,  arifing 

from  two  Caules. (i.)  From  the  differ e7tt  State  of  the 

Subject  wrought  upon.    The  Believer  not  being  under  the 
""  Law 


and  diHinguiJhed from  all  Counterfeits  1 8 1   . 

Law  as  a  Covenant,  is  not  by  the  Spirit  filled  with  thofe 
legal  Terrors  arifing  from  the  Fears  of  Hell,  as  heretofore 
he  was.  Rom,  8.  15.  But  only  is  made  fenfible  of  his  re- 
maining Sinfulnefs,and  the  Sinfulnefs  andDefert  of  Sin,and 
of  God's  fatherly  Difpleafure.  And  hereby  his  Heart  is 
humbled  and  broken.  Indeed  hereby  he  i^  many  Times 
filled  with  unfpeakable  Anguifn  and  Bitternefs  of  Soul. 
His  Sins  are  ever  before  his  Eyes^  and  his  Bones  wax  old  thro' 
his  roaring  all  the  Day  long.  Pfal.  23.  3.  and  51.  3.  He  is 
troubled,  he  is  bowed  down  greatly,  he  goes  mourning  all  the 
Day  long.  Pfal.  38.  i — 6.  But  thefe  awakening,  convinc- 
ing, humbling,  mourning,  purifying  Times  always  end  in 
Peace  and  Joy  and  Reft  in  God  ;  attended  with  a  greater 
Degree  of  Tendernefs  of  Confcience  and  holy Watchfulnefs, 
and  followed  with  bringing  forth  more  Fruit.  Pfal,  97.  1 1, 
and  126,  5,  6.  Pfal.  32.  5.  and  y^.  25 — 28.  Joh.  15.  2. 

2  Cor,  7.  10,  II.  Heb.  12.  11.  Hof  2.  6,  7,  14,  15. - 

(2.)  From  the  different  Nature  of  the  Subjed:  wrought  up- 
on.    The  Believer  not  being  under  the  full  Power  of  Sin 
■and  at  perfedl  Enmity  againft  God,  as  once  he  was,  hence 
does  not  refift  the  Spirit  with  the  whole  Heart,   while  he 
takes  down  the  Power  of  Sin,   as  heretofore  he  did  ;  but 
has  a  genuine  Difpofition  to  join  in  on  God's  Side,  and  fay, 
"  Let  me  be  effedually  weaned  from  the  World,  and  hum- 
**  bled,  and  made  holy  and  heavenly,  and  be  brought  into 
"  an  entire  Subje6tion  to  God  in  all  Things,  tho'  by  Means 
"  and  Methods  ever  fo  crofs  to  Flefh  and  Blood.  Let  me 
"  be  ftript  naked  of  all  worldly  Comforts,  and  let  Shimei 
*'  curfe,  and  all  outward  Evils  and  inward  Anguifh  of 
**  Heart  come  upon  me,  if  nothing  elfe  will  do.     Here 
"  Lord,  I  be  in  thy  Hands,  chaften,  corre6l,  do  what  thou 
"  wilt  with  me  •,  only  let  Sin  die  :  Sin  thine  Enemy,  the 
•'  worft  Evil,  and  the  grcateft  Burthen  of  tny  Soul."  Rom, 
7.  24.  2  Cor.  4.  8,9,16.  Jam.  1.  2.  Pfal.  119.  ji.Heb.iz.^, 
And  he  is  not  only  thus  willing  that  God  fhould  by  anyMe- 
thods  take  down  thePower  of  Sin  in  hisHeart,bu  alfo  joins 
in  with  theMethods  of  divine  Grace,  and  by  watching  and 
praying,  and  by  fighting  and  ftriving,  feeks  the  Death  cf 
every  Corruption.  And  from  his  thus  joining  in  on  God's 
Side  againft  the  JikJIj^  he  is  faid  in  Scripture  to  crucify  ir, 

N3  ''Gal 


i82  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

Gal.  5.  24.  And  to  work  out  his  own  Salvation,  Phil. 
2.  li 

From  what  has  been  faid  under  this  Head,  we  may  fee 
that  a  faving  ConveiTion  differs  very  much  from  the  Con- 

verfion  of  thefe  four  Sorts  of  Men. •  (i.)  The  worldly 

Hypocrite.  Who  makes  a  ProfelTion  of  Religion,  does  many 
Things,  appears  zealous,  and  pretends  to  be  a  good  Man, 
merely  from  worldly  Confiderations,   and  to  be  ^tta  of 

Men.  Mat.  23.5. (2.)  The  legal  Hypocrite.     Whofe 

Converfion  is  nothing  elfe,  but  a  leaving  off  his  vicious 
Pra<flices,  and  turning  to  be  flri^  and  confcientiojs  in  ex- 
ternal Duties,  in  Hopes  thereby  to  make  Amends  for  his 
paft  Sins,  and  recommend  himfelf  to  God  •,  and  fo  efcape 
Hell  and  get  to  Heaven.  Rom.  10.  3. (3.)  The  evan- 
gelical Hypocrite,  Whofe  Converfon  was  nothing  elfe  but 
this,  he  was  awakened  to  fee  his  Sins,  and  terriSed  with 
Fear  of  Hell,  and  humbled  in  a  Meafure,  but  not  thoro'ly, 
but  great  Light  broke  into  his  Mind,  and  now  he  believes 
that  Chrift  loves  him,  and  has  pardoned  all  his  Sins,  and 
fo  is  filled  with  Joy  and  Zeal,  and  is  become  quite  another 
Man:  But  ftiil  has  no  Grace.  Mat.  1^.  20.  Hcb.  6.  4. 
2  Pet.  2.20.  Thefe  ufually  either  fail  away  to  carnal  Se- 
curity, or  being  puft  up  with  Pride  turn  Enthufiafis. 

(4.)  The  wild^  blazing  Enthiifiaft.  Wliofe  Convcifion  all 
arifes  from  imaginary  Notions.  He  has  an  imaginary  Sight 
of  his  Sin,  his  Heart,  the  Wrath  of  God,  of  tlell  and  the 
Devil,  and  is  terribly  diflrelTed :  And  then  he  fees  Chriil 
in  a  bodily  Shape,  it  may  be  on  the  Crofs  with  his  Blood 
running,  or  feated  on  a  Throne  of  Glory  at  his  F^thcT's 
right  Hand,  he  fees  a  great  Light  fhinjng  all  round  him, 
hears  the  Angels  fing,  fees  Vifions,  hears  Voices,  hits  Reve- 
lations, and  thinks  himfelf  one  of  the  very  b^ll  Saints  in  the 
whole  World,  tho'  in  Truth  he,  by  fcandalous  Pradices, 
or  heretical  Principles,  or  both,  foon  appears  to  be  {tvtxi 
Times  more  a  Child  of  the  Devil  than  he  was  before. 
Hov/ever,  in  his  own  Conceit,  he  knows  infallibly  that  he 
is  right,  and  all  the  World  can't  convince  him  to  the  con- 
trary. Yea  he  is  fit  at  once  to  be  a  Minifter,  tho'  ignorant 
ot  the  firft  Principles  of  Religion ;  he  is  infpired  by  God, 
and  whoever  iikes  him  not  is  an  Enemy  to  Jefus  Chrift,  he 

doubts 


unddtjlinguijhzd  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.  1S3, 

doubts  not  at  ail-  Thefe  are  the  Tares  the  Devil  fows,  by 
Means  of  whom  the  Ways  of  God  are  evil  fpoken  of. 
Mat.  13.  39.  2  Cor.  I.I.  14.   I  I'im.  1.7. 

Now  thefe  feveral  Sorts  of  Religion,  the  true  and  the 
falfe,  growing  up  from  thefe  feveral  Roots,  do  all  receive  a 
different  Nourifhment,  according  to  their  different  Nature  j 
thro'  which  NouriQiment,  they  grow  and  increafe ;  and 
thro'  the  wan^:  of  which  they  decay,  ^he  good  Man^  the 
greater  Senfe  he  has  of  God's  infinite  Glory,  as  he  has  re- 
vealed himfelf  in  the  Law  and  in  the  Gofpel,  fo  proportio- 
nably  does  his  Religion  flounih  and  grow  in  all  it's  various 
Branches,  and  fhine  with  a  heavenly  Luilre.  ^The  worldly 
Hypocrite  lays  out  himfelf  moll  in  Religion,  when  there  are 
the  mod  to  obferve  and  applaud  h'm.  The  legal  Hypocrite^ 
when  his  Confcience  is  moil  terrified,  with  the  Thoughts  of 
Death  ;  Judgment  &  Eternity.  And  the  evangelical  Hypo- 
crite has  his  Affed:ions  raifed,  his  Love  and  Joy  and  Zeal, 
in  Proportion  to  his  fuppofed  Difcoveries  of  the  Love  of 
Chrift  to  him  in  particular,  and  Senfe  of  the  Glories  of 
(a  fancied)  Heaven.  And  finally,  the  blazing  Enthufiaft  is 
more  or  lefs  lively  in  Religion  according  as  he  has  Dreams, 
hears  Vo.-cs,  has  ImprelTions  and  Revelations,  and  is  ap- 
plauded by  his  Party. — ■■ — And  accordingly  thofe  different 
Sorts  of  Religion,  will  grow  and  thrive  the  bed,  under 
fuch  different  Sorts  of  Preaching,  as  fuits  their  feveral  Na- 
tures :  And  Men  will  cry  up  thofe  Minifters  moll,  -vrhofe 
Preaching  and  Condud  agree  w^ith  their  Hearts  the  befl. 
Mic.  4.  5.  For  all  People  will  walk^  every  one  in  the  Name  of 
his  God.  And  true  Believers  will  ivajk  in  tJpe  Name  of  the 
LORD  their  GOB, 

6.  From  all  that  has  been  faid,  we  iTjay  learn  that  a  Sin- 
ner is  naturally  difpofed  to  refift  the  Spirit  of  God.,  with  all 
hi'  M^ght^  when  he  comes  to  awaken,  convince  and  humble 
him,  to  take  down  the  Power  ot  Sin  in  his  Heart,  and  turn 
him  to  God.  Converfion  confifts  in  our  being  recovered 
from  the  fmful  State  we  are  in  by  Nature,  to  a  real  Con- 
formity to  the  divine  Law.  i.  e.  in  our  being  recovered 
fr::m  a  Difpofition  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  live  to  our 
felves  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  ii]  hot  God 
wholly,  and  a  Pradice  agreeable  to  this  Diiipofition— vT-^ 

N  4  ■   ■  ' ,, 


1 84-         7rue  Religion^delineated       Dis»  I. 

a  Difpofition  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimate- 
ly, and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  to  love  our  Neigh- 
bours as  our  feives,  and  a  Pradtice  agreeable  thereto,  i.  c. 
In  other  Words,  in  our  being  recovered  from  one  Difpo- 
fition,to  another  dire6lly  contrary  to  it  ;  even  fo  contrary, 
that  the  firft  mull  die,  in  order  to  the  others  Exiftence. 
This  Difpofition  from  which  we  are  to  be  recovered,  is  not 
any  Habit  contra6led  merely  by  Cuftom,  which  might 
more  eafily  be  parted  with  •,  but  it  is  connatural  to  us,  a 
Difpofition  rooted  as  it  were  in  our  very  Nature,  and  which 
has  the  full  PofTelTion  of  our  Souls,  and  the  entire  Govern- 
ment of  our  Hearts  :  In  a  Word,  a  Difpofition,  which  we 
in  every  Refpcd:  perfeftly  love,  and  which  we  perfectly 
hate  fhould  be  ever  crofs'd,  &  which  yet  muil  be  flain  or  we 
never  converted.  Now  if  ever  a  Sinner  be  recovered  from 
this  Difpofition,  'tis  evident  it  muft  be  againft  the  very 
Graia  of  his  Heart :  his  Heart  therefore  will  make  the 
utmoil  Refiftance,  it  pofTibly  can. 

If  we  were  entirely  renewed  in  an  Inftant,  without  any 
frcvioiis  Strivings  of  the  Spirit,  then  indeed  there  would  be 
no  Room  nor  Time  for  Refiftance  :  but  otherwife  the 
Heart  will  refift.  If  there  were  the  leaft  Difpofition  in  our 
Hearts,  contrary  to  our  natural  Difpofition  to  love  our 
feives  fupremely,  live  to  our  feives  ultimately,  and  delight 
in  that  which  is  not  God.  wholly,  it  might  join  in  on  God's 
Side,  be  fincerely  defirous  that  God  would  flay  the  Enmity 
of  our  Hearts  ^  but  there  is  not.  The  carnal  Mind  is 
wholly  Enmity  againft  God,  is  not  fubjed  to  his  Law,  nor 
can  be  ;  and  io  the  whole  Heart  will  make  Refiftance.  If 
the  Difpofition  to  which  v/e  are  recovered  in  Converfion, 
were  not  fo  diredly  contrary  to  our  natural  Difpofition,  as 
that  our  natural  Difpofition  muft  be  flain,  in  order  to  the 
very  being  of  that,  the  Sinner's  Oppofition  might  not  be 
fo  great  ;  but  when  all  that  is  within  him  is  diredly  crofs- 
cd  and  going  to  be  killed,  all  that  is  within  him  will  oppofe 
and  refift,  'till  flain.  We  are  by  Nature  wholly  in  the  Flejh 
and  after  the  Flejb  j  according  to  Scrlpture-l'hrak^  That 
"ivhich  is  born  of  the  Flejh^  is  Flefio  :  and  by  Converfion  we 
are  to  become  Spirit  ;  Thiit  which  is  born  cf  the  Spirit^  is 
Sprit,     But  the  Flefi  and  the  Spirit  are  in  Scripture  repre- 

fented 


and  dijiingtdjhed from  all  Counterfeits.   185 

fcnted  as  being  contrary  the  one  to  the  other.  Will  Flejh 
then  of  it's  own  Accord  become  Spirit  ?  No  furely.  For 
the  Flejlj  lufteth  againft  the  Spirit,  i.  e.  Is  wholly  averfe  to  it, 
and  fet  againft  it.  So  that  there  is  no  otherWay,but,accord- 
ing  to  Scripture-Vhx2,{t^  the  Flejh  muft  be  crucified^  with  the 
Affections  &  Lufts.  But  the  Flejh  perfectly  hates  thisDeath, 
and  therefore  will  reftjl  with  all  it's  Might,  Rom.  8.  7,  8. 
Joh.  3.  6.  Gal.  5.17.  Rom.  6.  6. 

As  the  Truth  of  this  Point  is  thus  evident  from  theRea- 
{on  and  Nature  of  Things,  fo  it  is  farther  confirmed  from 
conftant  Experience.  For  let  any  Man  read  the  Btble  with 
Attention,  and  he  may  plainly  fee,  that  the  very  Thing, 
which  God  has  always  been  driving  at,  in  all  the  external 
Means,  he  has  ufed  -with  his  profefiing  People,in  every  Age 
of  the  World,  has  been  to  recover  them  to  a  Conformity  to 
his  holy  Law  in  Heart  and  Life.  i.  e.  To  recover  them  from 
a  Difpofition  to  love  themfelves  fupremely,  live  to  them- 
felves  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that  which  is  not  God 
wholly,  and  a  Pra6i:ice  agreeable  thereunto  •,  To  a  Difpofi- 
tion to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and 
delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  to  love  their  Neighbours 
as  themfelves,  and  to  pra6life  accordingly  :  For  on  thefe 
two  Commands  hang  all  the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  And 
we  may  alfo  plainly  fee,  that  God's  profeffing  People  have 
always  manifefted  the  greateft  Averfion  to  hearken  to  the 
Law  and  to  the  Prophets  ;  and  fo  to  die  to  themfelves,  the 
World  and  Sin ;  and  thus  to  give  up  themfelves  to  God 
to  love  him,  live  to  him,  delight  in  him,  and  walk  in  all 
his  Ways.  God  fent  all  his  Servants,  the  Prophets^  to  the 
Children  of  Ifrael.,  rifing  early  and  fending ;  but  they  al- 
ways hated  their  Words,  and  fo  ftopped  their  Ears,  and 
refufcd  to  obey  :  Yea,  they  fell  into  a  Rage  at  them,  and 
in  their  Rage,  they  mocked  them,they  fcourged  them,  they 
bound  them,  they  imprifoned  them,  they  ftoned  them,  they 
fawed  them  afunder,  and  made  the  reft  wander  about  in 
Defarts  and  Mountains,  and  in  Dens  and  Caves  of  the 
Earth,  in  Sheep-Skins  and  Goat-Skins,  deftitute,  afflided, 
tormented.  Heb,  11.35 — 3^-  ^^^  when  God  fent  his 
well-beloved  Son  to  call  a  wicked  World  to  return  home 
unto  to  him^thcy  faid.  Come  Jet  us  kill  him.Mat,2i,ss — 39^ 

And 


1 86         True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

And  when  Chrift  fent  his  Apoftles  to  carry  the  glad  Tidings 
of  Pardon  and  Peace  to  the  Ends  of  the  Earth,  and  call  all 
Men  to  repent  and  be  converted,  to  return  and  love  and 
icrve  the  living  God,  both  Jews  and  GenUks  confpired  to- 
gether againft  them,  and  killed  them  •,  jufc  as  the  ten  Tribes 
killed  the  MefTenger,  whom  Rehoboam  fent  unto  them,  to 
call  and  invite  them  to  return  to  their  former  Allegiance. 
I  Kifi.  12.  1 8.  Therefore  fays  our  blefTed  Saviour  to  the 
Jews  who  pretended  great  Love  to  God  &  to  theLaw,  and 
mightily  to  honour  theirProphetSjT't'^  are  like  "u^hitedSepiil- 
£hres.,you  appear  outwardly  righteous^  but  inwardly  are  full  of 
all  Hypocrify  ^JVickednefs.  Tcur Fathers  ki  led  thePropkets, 
whom  you  pretend  to  Hcnour^  but  you  are  full  as  bad  as  they 
were.  Te  Serpents^  ye  Generation  of  Vipers^  &c.  Wherefore^ 
behold^  1  fmd  unto  you  Prophets  and  wife  Men  and  Scribes  ; 
and  fome  of  them  ye  fhallktll  and  crucify^  and  fome  of  them  y^ 
fhall  fccurge  in  your  Synagogues^  and  perfecute  them  from  City 

to  City. —  0  Jerufalem.,  Jerufalem.^  thou  that  killeji  the 

Prophets.,  and  flow  ft  them  that  are  fent  unto  thee  I  How  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  Children  together.,  eien  as  the  Hen 
gathereth  her  Chickens  under  her  Wings.,  and  ye  WOULD 
NOT !  Mat.  23,  2-7 — 37.  From  all  which,  nothing  can 
be  plainer,  than  that  this  rebellious  God- hating  World 
always  have  been  fet  againft  a  Return  to  God,  and  been  dif  • 
pofed  to  do  all  they  could,  to  render  all  Means  inefiedtual. 
Weil  might  St.  Stephen  therefore,  fay  unto  the  Jew^^  as  he 
did,  in  A^s.,  7-5^-  Te  ftiff-7u eked  and  wncircumcifedinHeart 
and  Ears^  ye  do  always  rejifi  the  holy  Ghofi  :  as  your  Fathers 
did^fo  do  ye :  Nor  had  they  any  Reafon  to  be  angry  with 
him  therefor. 

And  as  all,  who  have  enjoyed  the  external  Means  of 
Grace,  have  thus  been  difpofcd  to  hate  the  Light,  fhut  their 
Eyes,  flop  their  Ears  and  refufe  to  hear,  and  been  utterly 
averfe  to  a  return  to  God  ;  fo  this  is  evidently  the  Cafe  with 
all  whom  God  has  inwardly  wrought  upon  by  his  Spirit ; 
as  all  know,  who  have  either  had  any  Experience  them- 
lelves,  or  have  candidly  obferved  the  Experience  of  others. 
And  indeed  it  muft  be  fo  -,  for  the  very  fame  Temper, 
which  will  make  Men  refill  the  outward^  will  alfo  difpofe 
them  to  refill  the  inward  Means  of  Grace.     For  the  holy 

Spirit 


and dijlingtiijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  187 

Spirit  teaches  and  urges  the  very  fame  Things,  that  Mofes 
and  the  Prophets^  and  Chrijl  and  his  Apoftles  teach  and  urge, 
and  drives  at  the  fame  End  •,  and  will  therefore  of  Confe- 
quence  meet  with  the  fame  Oppofition  and  Refiftance,  from 
the  very  fame  Quarter.  "I'his  is  the  Condemnation^  that  Light 
is  come  into  the  World  •,  and  Men  love  Darknefs  rather  than 
Light  J  becaufe  theirBeeds  are  Evil.  He  that  dcth  EviU  hateth 
the  Light,  Joh.  3.  19,20.  That  Light  which  will  difcover 
Men's  evil  Deeds,  and  fhew  them  their  fallen,  finful,  gaiity, 
helplcfs  undone  Condition  •,  and  fo  fpoil  all  their  worldly, 
carnal  Comforts,  the  very  Idols  of  their  Hearts  -,  and  alfo 
kill  their  legal  Self-righteous  Hopes  ♦,  which  is  all  the 
awaken'd  and  concerned  Sinner  has,  to  his  own  Senfe  and 
Apprehenfion,  to  depend  upon  •,  that  Light  v/hich  effeds 
Things,  which  are  fo  direftly  crofs  to  the  inward  Temper 
of  the  Sinner's  Heart,  he  will  naturally  be  difpofed  to  hate, 
fhut  his  Eyes  againft,fiee  from  and  refill  with  all  hisMight ; 
and  that  whether  it  comes  from  the  external  Teachings  of 
the  Word,  or  internal  Teachings  of  the  Spirit.  Yea,  fo 
long  as  there  is  the  leail  remainder  of  Corruption  left  in 
Believers  themfelves,  it  vv^ill  hate  to  die,  and  ftruggle  with 
all  it's  Might  to  keep  it's  Ground,  yea,  and  to  recover  it's 
former  Dominion.  Rom,  7.  23.  1  fee  another  Law  in  my 
Mefnhers^  warring  againji  the  Law  in  7ny  Mind.,  and  bringing 
me  into  Captivity  to  th^Law  of  Sin,  which  is  in  ?ny  Members. 
Yea^it  implies  a  Contradidion,  to  fuppofe,  Corruption  can 
in  any  Cafe  be  willing  to  die  :  for  every  Temper  in  our 
Hearts  naturally  loves  to  be  gratified  and  pleafed,  and  it  is 
a  Contradidion,  to  fuppofe,  it  can  at  the  fame  Time  be 
willing  to  be  crofs'd  and  killed.  Gal.  5.  17. 

Ob  J.  But  do  not  awakened  Sinners  earnefily  defire  to  repent 
of  and  be  humbled  for  their  Sins.,  and  to  mortify  their  Cor- 
rupticfis,  and  to  give  up  themfelves  to  Gad.,  to  love  and  live  to 
hi-m  \  and  do  they  not  earneftly  pray  for  the  divine  Spirit  to 
afjifl  them  fo  to  do  P  How  can  they  'then  be  difpofed  at  the  fame 
Time  to  make  fuch  mighty  Refiftance  ? 

Ki>is^,  (ij  Awakened  Sinners  fee  themfelves  in  great 
Danger,  and  they  therefore  earneftly  defire  and  feek  after 
Self-i:^referVation,  and  this  is  plainly  owing  to  Nature,  and 
not  to  any  Grace  or  Goodnefs  in  their  Hearts.  Pfal.  66.  3. 

<J'hro\ 


1 88  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

^hro^  the  Greatnefs  of  thy  Power  thine  Enemies  fuhmit  them- 
felves  unto  thee.  i.  e.  they  feign  a  Submiflion,  but  they  are 
thine  Enemies.     (2  J  That  which  moves  them  to  defire  to 
repent,  be  humbled,  &:c.  is,  they  hope  by  thefe  Means  to 
make  Amends  for  their  pad  Sins,  and   ingratiate  them- 
felves  into  the  Favour  of  God.  Rom.  10.  3.  i.  e.    merely 
from  Self-love,  with  pure  Hypocrify,    they  would  impofe 
upon  God.    For  (3.)  After  all  their  Pretences,  Defires  and 
Prayers,  their  Nature  and  Temper  is  juft  what  it  ufed  to 
be  :  and  were  they  but  delivered  from  the  Fears  of  Hell, 
and  left  at  full  Liberty  to  follow  their  own  Inclinations, 
they  would  live  as  vicioufly  as  ever  they  did.  (4.)  Yet  they 
pretend  to  love  God  and  would  fain  have  him  believe  them 
fincere,  and  are  ready  to  expedt  Acceptance  for  what  they 
do,  and  to  think  it  hard  if  God  fhould  not   accept  them. 
Now  if  it  was  the  Work  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  build  up 
fuch  a  Sinner  in  this  hypocritical,  Self-righteous  way,   he 
might  be  difpofed,  while  under  his  Fears  and  Terrors,  to 
concur  and  fall  in  with  the  Spirit's  Influence  :    and  all 
merely  from  Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends.     But  if  the  Spi- 
rit of  God  goes  about  to  bring  home  the  Law  in  its  Stri6t- 
nefs,  and  fhew  fuch  a  Sinner  the  very  Truth,  that  he  does 
not  love  God  nor  defire  to,  that  his  Defires   and   Prayers 
and  Tears  are  all  hypocritical,  that  he  is  ftill  dead  in  Sin 
and  an  Enemy  to  God,  that  he  deferves  to  be  damned  as 
much  as  ever  he  did  -,  that  God  is  at  Liberty,  all  hisDuties 
notwithftanding,  to  rejed  him  ;  that  he  lies  abfolutely  at 
God's  Mercy  :  Now  he  will  hate  the  Light,  fhut  his  Eyes 
againft  it,  quarrel  at  it,    and  refift  it  with  all  his  Might. 
It  is  exceeding  hard  for  the  poor  Sinner,  when  he" begins  to 
be  awakened,  to  part  with  a  vain  Life,  and  vairr  Compa 
nions,  his  carnal  Eafe  and  Comfort,  and  all  viciousCourfes, 
to  make  Reftitution  to  thofe  he  has  wronged  in  Name  or 
Eflate,  and  give  himfelf  to  Reading,  Meditation  &Prayer, 
and  to  a  ferious  mortifying  Way  of  living  :    he  can't  bear 
the  Thoughts,  would  fain  contrive  an  eafier  Way,  or  elfe 
delay  for  the  prefcnt  fo  mournful  and  tedious  a  Work.   But 
when,  by  the  dreadful  Fears  of  Hell  and  eternal  Damna- 
tion, he  has  been  brought,  after  much  Reludtance  and 
Unwillingncfs,  to  a  forced  Confent  to  all  this,  hoping 

thereby 


and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.    189 

thereby  to  appeafe  the  divine  Wrath  and  procure  the  divine 
Favour  :  Now  to  have  all  his  felf-righteous  Hopes  dafli'd 
and  confounded,  by  a  Sight  of  the  Badnefs  of  his  Heart, 
by  feeing  he  has  no  Love  to  God,  no  Sorrow  for  Sin,  no 
Inchnation  to  be  holy,  but  averfe  to  God  and  all  that  is 
Good,  and  that  all  his  forced  Goodnefs  has  no  Virtue 
in  it,  that  he  is  yet  under  the  whole  Guilt  of  all  his  Sin, 
under  Condemnation  of  the  Law  and  the  Wrath  of 
God,  dead  in  Sin,  an  Enemy  to  God,  abfolutely  ac 
God's  Mercy  :  This,  this,  I  fay,  is  dreadful  indeed,  and 
far  more  crofs  to  the  very  Grain  of  the  Sinner's  Heart  than 
all  he  ever  met  with  before.  Here  therefore  there  will  be 
the  greatefl  Struggle  and  ftrongeft  Rcfiftance,  before  ever 
the  Sinner  can,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  be  brought  clearly  to 
fee  and  give  into  thefe  Things.  For  all  thefe  Things  are 
diredlly  crofs  to  the  Sinner's  Difpofition  to  love  him- 
felf  fapremely  and  live  to  himfelf  ultimately,  diredly 
crofs  to  a  Spirit  of  Self-fupremacy  and  Independency, 
The  Sinner  can't  bear  that  God  fhould  be  fo  great  and  fo 
fovereign,  and  himfelf  fo  vile,  fo  little,  fo  abfolutely  at 
Mercy.  'Tis  a  killing  Thing,  When  the  Commandment 
came.  Sin  revived,  ^nd  I  died>  So  that  it  is  plain,  that 
notwithftanding  all  the  awakened  Sinner's  felfifh  Defires 
and  Prayers,  yet  in  the  habitual  Temper  of  his  Heart, 
he  ftands  difpofed  to  refift  the  Influences  of  the  divine  Spi- 
rit, with  all  his  Might.  He  is  fo  far  from  being  willing 
to  repent  of  his  Sins,  that  he  is  utterly  unwilling  to  fee  and 
own  his  Sinfulnefs  -,  fo  far  from  defiring  to  be  humbled, 
that  he  is  by  no  Means  willing  to  fee  the  Caufe  &  Reafoa 
he  has  to  be  humbled  •,  fo  far  from  defiring  to  be  made 
fpiritually  alive,  that  he  won't  fo  much  as  own  that  he  is 
fpiritually  dead  ;  fo  far  from  defiring  the  gracious  Influen- 
ces  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  reconcile  him  to  God,  that  he  won't 
own  that  he  is  an  Enemy  to  God,  but  would  fain  think, 
that  he  heartily  defires  to  love  God,  and  ftands  ready  to 
hate  and  refift  that  Light,  which  would  difcover  the  En- 
mity of  his  Heart.  He  that  doth  Evil^  bateth  the  Light  and 
flees  from  it,  left  his  evil  Deeds  be  difcovered  •,  and  for  the  fame 
Reafon,  he  that  hath  an  evil  Heart,  hates  the  Light  and 
refifts  it,  left  the  Badnefs  of  his  Heart  be  difcovered. 

7.  From 


1 90         li'rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

7.  From  all  that  has  been  faid  v/e  may  learn,  that  thofe 
Jvf.iitnces  of  the  Spirit  which  will  be  fiifficient,  eff equally 
to  awc.ken,  ccnviixe  and  humble  the  Sinner,  and  recover 
him  to  God,  m/uil  be  irrejtjtiok  ^ndifuperncuuraL  That  the 
internal  Influer.ccs  ci  the  Holy  Spirit  are  neceflary  to  reco- 
ver Sinners  to  God,  is  {o  plainly  held  forth  every  where  in 
the  Bible,  that  the  /Irmimans  themfelves  do  not  deny  it. 
But  how  much^  and  ivhc.t  Kind  or  Influences  are  needful,  is 
vtx'j  much  dif::utcd.  l>low  fo  much^  2iV\dfncb  Scrt  of  In- 
fluences are  bt-yoiid  difpute,  ueedfuU  as  will  be  fufficient 
effernia  ly  to  cinjv:cr  the  End^  and  without  which  no  Sinner 
will  ever  be  converted.  1  his  is  felf-evident.  If  Sinners 
were  fo  good  natur  d,  as  to  fee  and  feel  and  own  their  Sin- 
fulnefs,  and  the  Juilice  of  the  Sentence  whereby  they  iland 
condemned,  and  die  to  themJelves,  the  World  and  Sin,  and 
return  home  to  God  thro'  JefuS  Chrift,  to  ieve  him,  live 
to  him,  and  dclighc  in  him  for  ever,  of  their  own  Accord, 
merely  upon  reading  the  Bible  and  hearing  the  Law  and 
the  Gofpel  preached,  then  there  would  be  no  Need  of  any 
inward  Influences  of  the  Spirit  at  all.  Cr  if  they  were  fo 
good  natured,  as  to  be  eafily  perfwaded  to  do  fo,  then  fome 
fm.all  Degree  of  the  inward  Influences  of  the  Spirit 
would  do.  But  if,  in  x\\^firfi  Place^  they  are  altogether 
averfe  to  fee  and  feel  and  own  their  Sin  and  Guilt,  and  the 
Jufl:ice  of  their  Condemnation  according  to  Law^,  and  en- 
tirely difpofed  to  hate  and  refifl:  the  Light,as  hath  but  juft 
now  been  proved,  then  they  mull  be  brought  to  it  by  an 
ell- conquering  irrefifiihle  Grace,  or  not  at  all.  And  it,in  the 
fccond  Place^  the  clearefl:  Sight  and  greateft  Senfe  a  natural 
Man  can  have  of  what  God  is^  infl:ead  of  making  him  ap- 
pear infinitely  glorious  and  amiable,  in  the  Eyes  of  one 
whofe  Heart  is  dead  in  Sin,  and  diametrically  oppoflte  to 
the  divine  Nature,  will  rather  irritate  Corruption,  and 
make  the  native  Enmity  cl  the  Eieart  ferment  and  rage, 
and  become  but  the  m.ore  apparent  and  fenfible,as  has  been 
heretofore  proved,  then  there  mufl:  be  a  fupernatural^  fpiri- 
tual  and  di^cine  Change  wrought  in  the  Heart,  by  the  /w- 
wf^i^^^  Influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  it  Ihall 
become  imtural  to  look  upon  God  as  infinitely  glorious  and 
amiable  in  being  what  he  is,  and  fo  a  Foundation  hereby 

laid. 


.  '^and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   191 

laidjfor  us  to  love  him  with  all  our  Hcarts,and  fo  genuine- 
ly to  repent,  return  and  give  up  our  felves  to  him,  to  liv^c 
to  him,  and  delight  in  him  for  ever  •,  I  fay,  if  thefe  Things 
be  fo,  there  muft  be  fach  a  Change  wrought  by  the  Spirit 
of  God,  or  not  one  Sinner  in  the  World  will  ever  be  conr 
verted  to  God^  And  therefore,  that  there  is  an  abfolutc 
Necelfity  of  fach  Influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  order 
to  a  faving  Converfion,  is  evident  to  a  Demon[lration,from 
the  very  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things.  God  himfelf  muft 
take  away  the  Heart  of  Stone  and  give  an  Heart  of  Fleflj^  and 
write  his  Law  on  our  Hearts^  raife  us  from  the  Dead^  create 
us  a-new^  open  our  Eyes^  &c.  &c.  according  to  the  Lan- 
guage of  Scripture.  And  thefe  Things  God  does  do,  for 
all  that  are  renewed,  and  therefore  they  are  faid,  to  be  born 
of  God,  to  be  born  of  the  Spirit,  to  be  fpiritual^to  be  made  Par- 
takers of  the -divine  Nature,  &c.  And  God  is  faid  to  give 
Faith,  Repentance,  and  every  divine  Grace.  Ezek,  36.  26. 
Heb.%,10,  Eph.  2.1 — 10.  I  Cor.  4,  6.  Joh.!,  13.  5^  3.  6. 
Rom,  8.  6,  9.  2  Pet.  1.  4.  A^.  5.  31.  Jar,j.  i.  17. 

8.  From  what  has  been  faid  we  may  learn  to  underftand 
the  Bo ^rine  of  divine  Sovereignty  in  theBeftowrnent  of  fpecial 
Grace  for  the  Regeneration  and  Coiwerficn  of  Sinners,  The 
Scripture  reprefents  God  as  choofingfonu  before  the  Founda- 
tion  of  the  World,  to  be  holy  and  to  be  his  Children.  Eph.  i. 
4,  5.  And  teaches  us  that  whom  he  did  predeftinate,  them  he 
alfo  calls,  and  whom  he  calls  them  he  alfojufiifes,  and  whom 
hejufiifies  them  he  alfo  glorifies.  Rom.  8.  30.  -  And  plainly 
intimates  that  fuch  as  are  given  to  Chrift  and  ordained  to 
eternal  Life,  believe,  and  none  other.  Joh.  6.  37,  39.  Adc.  13. 
48.  Rom.  II.  7.  And  the  Scriptures  teach  us  that  God 
has  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy,  and  Compaffion  on 
whom  he  will  have  Compaffion.  Rom:  9.  18.  And  that/?;- 
the  moft  Part,  he  paffes  by  the  rich  and  great  and  ho7iourable, 
and  choofes  the  meaneft  and  mofi  ignoble,  that  no  Flejh  might 
glory  in  his  Prefence.  i  Cor.  i.  26 — 29.  He  hides  the  Gcfpel 
from  the  wife  and  prudent,  and  reveals  it  toBabes,  and  that  be- 
caufe  it  pleafes  him  fo  to  do,  and  Chrift  rejoyccs  in  his  fovereign 
P.leafure  herein^  as  difplaying  his  iniiaite  W ifdom.  M^t. 
II.  25,  25. 
V,,:    ....  And 


192         True  Religion  deli7teated       Dis.  I. 

And  now  what  has  been  faid  may  fhew  us  the  infinite 
Reafonablenefs  of  fuch  a  Procedure.  For,  God,whofe  Eyes 
run  to  and  fro  thro'  all  the  Earth,  feeing  allThings  as  being 
what  they  are,  plainly  beholds  and  views  the  State  and 
Temper  of  this  apoftate  World  ;  and  let  Men  pretend 
what  they  will,  he  knows  their  Hearts,  he  knows  they 
don't  love  him  nor  care  for  him,  he  fees  all  their  Hypocri- 
fy  and  their  inward  Contrariety  to  him  and  his  Law,  and 
how  much  they  are  fettled  in  their  Temper  •,  fo  far  from 
Repentance,  that  they  will  not  fo  much  as  fee  their  Sin, 
but  ftand  to  juftify  themfelves,  infenfible  of  their  Guilt  and 
infenfible  of  their  Defert,  hating  the  Light  ;  he  fees  they 
hate  to  fee  their  Sin  and  Guilt  and  Defert,  and  to  be  hum- 
bled and  lie  down  at  his  Foot,  and  be  abfolutely  beholden 
to  him  i  and  that  they  would  make  the  utmoil  Refiilance 
if  he  Ihould  rake  them  in  Hand,  and  go  about  thoroughly 
to  convince  them  by  his  Spirit  howThings  really  be  -,  thus 
he  views  his  apoftate,rebellious  Creatures,&  fees  how  finful, 
how  dead  in  Sin,  hov/  contrary  to  ah  Good,  and  how  irre- 
claimable they  be,  and  upon  the  whole  how  much  they 

deferve  eternal  Damnation. In  the  Days  of  Eternity  he 

faw  jufb  how  Things  would  be  before  Hand,  and  now  in 
Time  he  fees  juft  how  Things  a61:uariy  be.  In  the  Days 
of  Eternity  therefore  he  faw  that  there  would  not  be  any 
Thing  in  them  to  move  him  to  have  Mercy  on  any,  and 
now  in  Time  he  finds  it  to  be  the  Cafe.  And  yet  he  was 
pleafed  then  of  his  meer  fovereign  Pleafure  to  determine 
not  to  call  off  all,  but  to  fave  fome ;  {o  tiqw  he  is  pleafed 
to  put  his  fovereign  Pleafure  in  Execution  ;  and  he  has 
Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy,  and  Compaflion  on 
whom  he  will  have  Compafiion,  and  many  Times  takes  the 
meaneft  and  vileft,  that  theSovereignty  ol  his  Grace  might 
be  the  mere  illuftrious,  and  the  Pride  of  all  Flefn  might 
be  brought  lcw,and  theLord  alone  be  exalted.  And  furely 
fuch  a  Condudt  infinitely  well  becomes  the  fupreme  Gover- 
nour  of  the  whole  World. 

Indeed,  if  any  of  Adarns  Race  were  fo  well  difpofed,  as, 
of  their  own  Accord,  merely  upon  reading  the  Bible,  hear- 
ing the  Gofpel  preached,  and  enjoying  the  common  Means- 
of  Grace,  to  believe  and  repent  and  to  return  home  to  God 

thro' 


mdiiijiinguijljed  from  all  Counterfeits.  193 

-thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  they  might  be  accepted,  pardoned  and 
faved,  nor  would  there  be  any  Room  for  or  Need  of  Sove- 
reign Grace.  But  God  who  knows  the  Hearts  of  all,  fees 
that  all  the. Pretences  of  Sinners  that  Way  are  but  mere 
Kypocrify,  and  that  at  Heart  they  are  his  Enemies,  and 
utterly  averfe  to  a  Return. —  Or  if  there  was  any  Virtue  to 
be  found  among  any  of  the  fallen  Race  of  Adam^  antece- 
dent to  God's  Grace,  this  might  move  him  to  have  Mercy 
upon  one  rather  than  another.  But  he  fees  that  all  are  in- 
tirely  deftitute  of  Love  to  him,  ind  intireiy  at  Enmity 
againft  him,  wholly  void  of  real  Goodnefs,  and  dead  in 
Sin,  and  that  the  only  Reafon  why  fome  are  not  fo  out- 
wardly extravagant  and  vicious  as  others,  is,  becaufe  he  has 
by  one  Means  and  another  rellrained  them,and  not  becaufe 
they  are  really  better. —  And  while  God  thus  beholds  all 
alike  dead  in  Sin,  and  in  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts  by 
Nature  equally  averfe  to  a  Return  to  him,  and  views  all 
as  guilty  and  Heil-deferving,  there  is  nothing,  there  can 
be  nothing,  to  move  him  to  determine  to  fhcw  Mercy  to 
one  rather  than  another,  but  his  own  good  Pleafure.  And 
therefore  he  has  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy  ;  he 
awakens,  convinces,  humbles,  converts  whom  he  pleafcs, 
and  leaves  the  reft  to  follow  their  own  Inclinations,  and  take 
their  own  Courfe,  enduring  with  much  Long-fuffering  the 
VeplsofJVrath, 

Let  it  be  here  noted,  that  many  of  thofe  warm  Difputes 
about  the  Doclrine  of  divine  Sovereignty,  which  have  iilied 
the  Chriftian  World,  turn  very  much  upon  this  Point.  All 
are  agreed,  that  v/hofoever  believes,  repents  and  returns  to 
God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  iliall  be  faved.  All  will,thcrefore, 
yield  that  if  Mankind  in  general  were  fo  good  natured.  fo 
well  difpofed,  as  to  return  to  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  of  their 
own  Accord,  upon  the  Calls  and  Invitations  ov  the  Gofpel, 
and  only  by  the  Influence  and  Help  of  thofe  Advantages 
which  are  common,  then  all  might  be  faved,  nor  wculd 
there  be  any  Need  of,  or  Room  for,  this  fovereign,  diftin- 
guiihing  Grace.  But  if  Mankind  have  none  of  this  good 
Nature,but  are  every  Way  diame:rically  oppofite  tle.etv'; 
if  all  the  Calls  of  the  Gofpel,  and  common  IW.ans  i.nd 
Methods  of  Grace,  will  have  no  effectual  Inuuuice  .  pon 

O  tLcm  i 


194         ^rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I, 

them  ;  if  nothing  but  an  almighty,  all-conquering  Grace 
can  flop  them  in  their  Courfe  ot  Rebellion,  fubdue  their 
Lufts,  and  recover  them  to  God  •,  if  this  be  the  Cafe  of  all 
Mankind,  then  it  is  plain,  that  nothing  but  the  meer 
Mercy  of  God,  can  interpofe  and  prevent  a  iiniverfalRuin. 
And  it  is  plain  that  the  fovereign  Governour  of  the  whole 
Woj-ld  is,  in  the  Nature  of  Thmgs,  at  moil  perfect  Liberty 
to  fhew  this  Mercy,  to  none,  or  to  fome  few,  or  to  all,  juit 
as  it  feems  good  m  his  Sight.  And  fince  from  Eternity 
he  forefavv  jufb  how  Things  would  be,  from  Eternity  he 
might  determine  what  to  do.  So  that  the  great  Queilion 
is,  Whether  Mankind  are  naturally  fo  entirely  averfe  to  a 
true  Converiion  ?  For  if  they  be,  the  Reafonablenels  of 
the  divine  Sovereignty  muft  be  admitted  in  this  Cafe  ;  and 

it  they  be  not,  none  will  any  longer  plead  for  it. And 

what  the  natural  Oppofition  of  Mankind  to  Converfion  is, 
may  be  eafily  feen,    if  we  confider  what  the  true  Nature  of 

Converfion  is,  and  compare  their  Temper  herewith. 

And  what  the  true  Nature  of  Converfion  is,  may  be  eafily 
known  by  confidering  the  true  Nature  of  the  moral  Law. — 
In  a  Word,  if  the  Law  does  only  require  what  the  Armi- 
nians  and  Pelagians  fuppofe,  and  Religion  be  juft  fuch  a 
Thing, 'tis  a  plain  Cafe,  that  Mankind  are  not  fobad,  nor 
do  they  need  fuch  an  irrefiflibleGrace.  But  if  the  Law  re- 
quires quite  another  Sort  of  Holinefs,  and  fo  true  Religion 
be  quite  anotherSort  of  Thing,even  fuch  as  Ihave  delcnbcd, 
which  lies  fo  diametrically  oppofite  to  the  natural  Bent  and 
Biafs  of  our  whole  Souls,  'tis  plain,  'tis  a  clear  Cafe,  that 
Grace  muft  be  irrefiftible,  and  can  proceed  from  nothing 
but  meer  free  Mercy,  nor  refult  from  anyThing  but  the  fo- 
vereign Pleafure  of  the  moft  High.  So  that  in  fliort,  the 
whole  Difpiite  is  refolved  into  this  Queftion,  What  does 
the  Law  of  God  require,  and  wherein  does  a  genuine  Con- 
formity thereto  confill  ?     But  of  this  more  afterwards. 

And  from  what  has  been  faid  we  may  eafily  gather  a 
plain  and  fhort  Anfv/er  to  all  the  mighty  Cry  about  Prar- 
mifes,  Promifes  to  the  JJjiconverted^  if  they  ivill  do  as  well  as 
they  can.  For  'tis  plain,  Heaven's  Gates  ftand  wide  open 
to  all  that  believe  and  repent  and  return  to  God  thro'Jefup 
Chrift.  J  oh.  3.16.  And  'tis  plain,  the  Wrath  of  God  is 

revealed 


and di/linguifjed  from  all  Counterfeits.   195 

revealed  againft  all  that  do  not  fo.  Job.  3.  36.  And  'tis 
plain,  that  there  is  nothing  but  the  want  of  a  i^ood  Tcm* 
p^r,  together  with  the  obitinate  Perverfenefs  of  Sinners, 
that  hinders  theirReturn  toGod ;  and  that  therefore  all  their 
Pretences  of  being  willing  to  do  as  well  they  can,  are  mere 
Hypocrify.  They  are  fo  unwilling  to  return  to  God,  or 
take  one  Step  that  Way,  that  they  can  be  brought  back  by 
nothing  Ihort  of  an  almighty  Power  •,  and  are  fo  iar,there- 
fore,  trom  being  entitled  to  the  Promifes  of  the  Gofpel, 
that  they  are  adually,  and  that  defervediy  too,  under 
CondexTi nation  by  the  Gofpel,  (Job,  3.  18. J  and  under  all 
the  Curfes  of  the  Law,  Gal,  3.10.  "  Take  heed  there- 
*'  fore,  O  Sinner,  thou  Enemy  of  God,  when  you  pretend 
*'  that  you  defire  to  repent  and  do  as  well  as  you  can,  that 
*'  you  be  not  found  quieting  your  felf  in  a  State  of  E- 
"  ilrangcment  from  God,  hiding  your  natural  Averfion 
"  to  God  &  Holinefs  under  fair  Pretences.  And  know  it 
"  if  you  do,  tho'  you  may  deceive  your  felf  by  the  Means, 
*'  yet  it  will  appear  another  Day  before  all  Worlds,  and  it 
"  will  be  known  that  you  were  an  Enemy  to  God,  and 
"  would  not  be  reconciled,  and  did  but  flatter  him  with 
*'  your  Lips,  and  lie  unti  him  with  your  Tongue,  in  all 
*'  your  feemingly  devout  Pretences.  You  think  your 
"  felf  good  enough  to  have  art  Interefl:  in  the  Promifes, 
*'  but  infinite  Goodnefs  judges  you  deferve  to  be  numbred 
"  among  the  Children  of  Wrath  and  Heirs  of  Hell.  Job. 
*'  3.  1 8,  36.  Your  high  Conceit  of  your  own  Goodnefs  is 
*'  the  Foundation  of  all  your  Confidence,  and  both  join  to 
"  keep  you  fecure  in  Sin  and  under  Guilt,  and  infenfible  of 
^'  your  need  of  Chrifl  &  fovereign  Grace.  Luk.^.^i.  Rem. 
10.3."  Did  Sinners  but  fee  the  Badnefs  of  theirHeirtSjthey 
would  be  foon  convinced  that  thePromifes  are  not  theirs,buc 
theThreatnings ;  and  would  feel  &  know  that  they  have  no 
Claims  to  make,  but  lie  abfoiutely  at  Mercy.  Luk.  18.13. 

9.  And  if  it  is  nothing  but  the  mere  Grace  &  fovereign 
good  Pleafure  of  God,  which  moves  him  to  ftoo  Sinners 
in  their  Career  to  Hell,  and  by  his  irrefiilible  and  ail- 
conquering  Grace,  and  by  the  fupernatural  Influences  of 
'his  holy  Spirit,  I'ubdue  their  Stubbornnefs,  take  dov/n  the 
Power  of  Sin  in  their  Hear  ^,  and  recov^er  them  to  hinifeif : 

O  2  And 


196  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

And  if  he  does  this  for  them  when  they  arc  at  Enmity  a- 
gainfl  him,  and  are  his  open  Enemies  by  wicked  Works, 
and  fo  are  altogether  deferving  his  Wrath  and  Vengeance ; 
I  fay,  if  this  be  the  Cafe,  there  is  all  Reafon  to  think,  that 
he^  who  thus  begins^  will  carry  on  the  Work  to  Perfe^ion.  — 
He  knew  how  bad  the  Sinner  was  when  he  firft  took  him 
in  Hand,  how  he  hated  to  be  converted,  and  how  he  would 
refill,  and  that  his  own  almighty  Arm  mull  bring  Salva- 
tion ;  and  yet  this  did  not  difcourage  his  firft  Undertaking, 
And  he  knew  how  the  Sinner  would  prove  after  Conver- 
fion,  juil  hov;  barren  and  unfruitful,  juft  how  perverfe  and 
rebellious,  and  juft  how  apt  to  forget  God  and  turn  away 
from  him,  and  that  his  own  almighty  Grace  muft  always 
be  working  in  him  to  will  and  to  do.  Phil.  2.  13.  —  He 
knew  all  the  difcouraging  Circumftances  before-hand,  and 
his  infinite  Goodnefs  furmounted  them  all,  and  he  had 
Mercy  on  the  poor  Sinner  becaufe  he  would  have  Mercy 
on  him,  of  his  meer  good  Pleafure,  from  his  boundlefs 
Grace,  aiming  at  the  Glory  of  his  own  great  Name.  Eph. 
1 .  6. — And  now  this  being  the  Cafe,  we  have  all  Reafon 
to  think,  that  God  will  never  alter  his  Hand,  or  leave  un- 
finifhed  the  Work  which  he  has  begun.  For  there  always 
will  be  the  fame  Motive  from  which  he  undertook  the 
Work,  to  excite  him  to  carry  it  on,  even  the  infinite  Good- 
nefs of  his  Nature  -,  and  he  will  be  always  under  the  fame 
Advantages,  to  anfv/er  theEn-d  he  at  firft  propofed,namely, 
the  Advancement  of  theGlory  of  hisGrace.  And  he  will  ne- 
ver meet  with  any  unforefeenDifHculties  orDifcouragements 
in  his  Way.  We  may  therefore  be  pretty  certain,  if  really 
God  begins  this  Work,  under  fuch  Views  and  fuch  Cir- 
cumftances, that  it  is  with  Defign  to  carry  it  on.  As  Sa- 
muel  reafons  in  a  parallel  Cafe,  i  Sam.  12,  22.  For  the 
Lord  will  not  for  fake  his  People  for  his  great  Name's  fake  : 
he&aufe  it  hath  pleafed  the  Lord  to  make  you  his  People.  So 
that  if  the  Dodrine  of  the  Saitits  Per  fever  ance  were  not  ex- 
prefly  taught  in  Scripture,  yet  on  this  Ground  we  might 
argue  very  ftrongly  for  it.  —  But  that  this  is  a  Do6lrine 
plainly  revealed  in  the  Gofpel  we  may  learn,  from  Mat. 
17.  23.  Job.  4.  14.  &  10.  4,  5,  27,  28.  1  jfok  3.  6,^. 
Heb.  8,  10.  Csf^.-C^fr,— When  St,  P^«/ kept  under  his  Body 

and 


and  didinguipjed from  all  Counterfeits  197 

and  brought  it  intoSuh]t^ionjLESTheJbculdhaCaJl-awayy 
(i  Cor.  9.  27.)  He  did  no  otherwife  than  he  was  wont  to 
do  in  temporal  Concerns,  in  Cafes  wherein  he  was  before- 
hand certain  of  the  Event.  So  he  fent  Word  to  the  chief 
Captain^  of  the  Jews  lying  in  wait  to  kill  him,  lefi  hefhotdd 
be  murdered  by  them  ;  whsnas  it  was  revealed  to  him  from 
God,  but  the  very  Night  before,  that  he  fhould  live  to  fee 
Rome.  A5i.  23.1 2 — 2 1 .  So  he  would  not  allow  the  Sailors 
to  leave  the  Ship  in  the  midft  of  the  Storm,  lefi  they  fhould 
fame  of  them  he  drowned  for  want  of  their  Help  j  whenas, 
but  a  little  before  it  was  revealed  to  him  from  God  that  not 
one  of  them  fhould  be  drowned.  A5i.  27.  23 — 31.  And 
indeed,  it  was  his  Duty  to  do  as  he  did,  as  much  as  if  he 
had  been  at  the  greateft  Uncertainties  about  the  Event. 
So  altho'  Taul  knew  that  never  any  'Thing  fhould  feparate 
him  from  theLove  ofGcd^iKom.  8,  3  8.) Yet  heufed  all  pofTi- 
ble  Endeavours  to  mortity  his  Corruptions,  leji  he  fhould 
be  a  Cafi-away.  And  indeed,  it  was  his  Duty  to  do  fo,  as 
much  as  if  he  had  been  at  the  greateft  Uncertainties  about 
the  Event.  And  what  was  his  Duty,  was  alfo  the  Duty  of 
all  good  Men  \  and  therefore  St.  Paul  in  his  Epiflles  is  fre- 
quently exhorting  all,  to  do  as  he  did  :  and  that  in  a  per- 
fect Confiftency  with  the  Do6lrine  of  the  Saints  Perfeve- 
rance^  which  he  alfb  teaches.  And  as  Pauls  being  certain 
of  the  Events  did  not  tend  to  make  him  carelefs  in  the 
Ufe  of  proper  Means  to  fave  his  natural  Life,  but  rather 
tended  to  encourage  and  animate  him,  as  knowing  that  he 
fhould  finally  fucceed  •,  fo  his  being  certain  of  the  Eventy 
did  not  tend  to  make  him  carelefs,  but  to  animate  him, 
with  refped  to  his  fpiritual  and  eternal  Life.  And  as  it 
was  with  him,  fo  it  is  with  all  good  Men.  Rom..  6,  2.  For 
this  is  always  the  Cafe,  that  Certainty  of  Succefs,  animates 
Men  •,  if  the  Thing  they  are  about,  be  what  they 
love  and  what  their  Hearts  are  engaged  in  -,  but  to 
die  1:0  themfelves,  the  World  and  Sjn,  and  love  God, 
and  live  to  him,  and  grow  up  into  perfed  Holinefs,  is  what 
all  Believers  love  and  have  their  Hearts  engaged  after  *,  an 
abfolute  Certainty,  therefore,  of  Perfeverance  has,  in  the 
Nature  of  Things,  the  greateft  Tendency  to  animate  them 
ro  the  oigft  iprightiy  Adivity.    There  are  none  by t  grace- 

O  3  lvi5- 


198 


True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 


lefo  Hypocrites,that  takeEncouragement,from  theBo(flrines 
of  free  Grace,  to  Careiefnefs  a;id  Sin.  Rom.  6.  i,  2. 

10.  If  this  be  the  Nature  of  a  laving  Converuon,  if  this 
be  the  Nature  of  true  HoHnefs,  if  this  be  true  Rchgion, 
fo  contrary  to  Flefli  and  Blocd,and  all  the  habit '^al  Fropen- 
fities  of  Nature,  then  fo  long  as  there  is  the  Icafi  Corrnpticn 
left  in  the  Hearty  there  zvill,  of  Necejfity,  be  a  continual  Con- 
fii^.  Grace  w'.ll  continually  fcek  the"  Ruin  of  Sin,  thro* 
it's  Contrariety  to  it  and  Hatred  of  it  •,  and  Sin  will  ftrive 
to  maintain  it's  Ground,  vea  and  to  res;ain  it's  former  Do-' 
minion.  The  gracious  Nature  deliglits  m  the  Law  of  Gcd, 
and  afpires  after  fmlefs  Ferfedlion  ;  the  fmful  Nature  hates 
the  Law  of  God,  and  drives  to  lead  the  Man  captive  into 
Sin.  The  gracious  Nature  is  a  Difpofition  to  love  God 
fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him  lu- 
perlatively  v  and  this  fmful  Nature  is  a  Difpofition  to  love 
Self  fupremely,  live  to  Self  ultimately,  and  delight  in  that 
which  is  not  God,  wholly  :  and  becaufe  thefe  two  ere  con- 
trary the  one  to  the  othe:>\  therefore  th^.  Flcfh  "jsill  lufl  agcrnfl 
the  Spirit-,  and  the  Spirit  againjl  the  Flefb.  Gal.  5.  17.  The 
gracious  Nature  joins  in  on  God's  Side  againft  all  Sin  •,  and 
while  God  '-Jjorks  in  the  Man  to  vdll  and  to  do.,  he  zvcrks  cut 
his  cdun  Salvation  ivith  Fear  and  Tremblings  with  Caution 
and  Circumfpe(5tion,  with  Watchfulnefs  and  holy  Concern  ; 
labouring  to  die  to  himfelf,  the  World  and  Sin,  and  be 
wholly  the  Lord's.  FhiL  2.  12,  13.  While  God  is,  by  his 
Spirit,  rcalifing  to  his  Heart  the  Being  and  Perfections  of 
God,  the  Exiftence  and  Importance  of  divine  and  e:ei':al 
Things,  and  is  fpreading  divine  Light  over  his  Soul,  and 
is  banifhing  felfifh  andv/orldly  Views,  and  is  drawing  his 
Soul  to  holy  and  divine  Contemplations  ;  he  feels  the  di- 
vine Influence,  iie  blelies  the  Lord,  he  fummons  all  within- 
him  to  Engagednefs,  he  pants  after  God.  "  O  that  I 
*'  might  Icnow  him,  that  I  might  fee  him  in  his  infinite 
*'  Glory !  {PfaL  6g.  i,  2.)  O  GW,  thou  art  my  Gody  early 
"  r.vill  I  feek  thee  :  my  Soul  thi^-fleth  for  thee^  niyFlcJJjlongetk 
*'  for  thee^  in  a  dry  and  thirffy  Land,  rohere  no  Water  is  :  ^0 
*'  fee  thy  Pozver  and  thy  Glory ^fo  as  I  have  fcen  thee  in  the 
^'  Sanctuary,  (y-.  8:)  JV/v  Soul  foil oweth  hard  after  thee. 
*'  (rfal.  73.  25.)  Whom  Live  I  in  lieaxen  but  tbtc  ?  And 

'-'•  then 


and dij}inguij}jed from  all  Counterfeits,   i  gg 

*'  there  is  none  upon  Earth  I  defire  bcfides  thee.  O  that  I 
"  Could,  with  my  whole  Heart,  love  thee  for  ever,  live  to 
*•  thee  for  ever,  live  upon  thee  for  ever,  and  ncser,  never, 
"  depart  from  thee  !  O  that  I  could  think  for  thee,  and 
"  fpeak  for  thee,  and  acl  for  thee ;  at  Home  and  Abroad, 
*'  by  Day  and  by  Night,  always  live  to  thee  and  upon 
"  thee  !  Here,  Lord,  I  give  my  felf  to  thee  to  be  for  ever 
"  thine,  to  love  thee  and  to  fear  thee,  and  to  walk  in  all 
"  thy  Ways  and  to  keep  all  thy  Commands  j  and  O  that 

"  my  Heart  might  never  depart  from  thee  ! But  alas, 

*^  alas,  to  will  is  prejent  with  me^  to  have  a  Difpofition  to 
*^  all  this,  and  long  for  all  this,  and  feek  and  ftrive  for  all 
'*  this,  is  eafy  and  natural, /d/r  I  delight  in  the  Law  of  God 
^'  after  the  inward  Man  ♦,  hut  how  to  perform  I  find  not  \ 
*'  liQw  to  get  my  whole  Heart,  fo  to  fall  in,  as  that  there. 
"  Ihall  not  be  the  leail  contrary  Temper,  this  is  clean  be- 
*'  yond  me,  for  I  am  fill  carnal^  fold  under  Si?i^have  another 
*'  Law  in  my  Members^  have  ftill  the  Remains  (of  the  Flefh) 
*'  of  my  native  Contrariety  to  God  and  Difpofition  to  dif- 
*'  relifh  divine  Things  \  and  fo  am  apt  to  forget  God,  to 
"  warp  off  from  him,  and  to  have  lelfilh  and  worldly  Views 
"  and  Defigns  fecretly  creep  into  my  Mind  and  Heal  away 
"  my  Heart  from  God,  and  fo  am  daily  led  into  Captivity,, 
"  O  that  Sin  was  entirely  dead,  that  a  Difpofition  to  dif- 
"  relifh  God,  to  forget  him,  to  go  away  from  him,  to  live 
"  without  him,  and  to  feek  Content  in  that  which  is  not 
*'  God,  was  entirely  (lain !  0  wretched  Man  that  I  am^ 
*'  who  fhall  deliver  me  P  Rom.  7.  14 24. 

If  Grace  and  Corruption  were  not  fo  contrary  the  one  to 
the  other,  fo  diametrically  oppofite,  there  might  pofiibly  be 
an  Accommodation  between  them,  and  both  quietly  dwell 
together  in  the  fame  Heart :  But  now  they  are  fet  for  each 
other's  Ruin,  and  feek  each  other's  Deftruction,  and  like 
Fire  and  Water  will  never  reft,  till  one  or  the  other  be 
entirely  deftroycd.  Gal.  5.  17. 

If  Grace  could  be  wholly  killed,  or  Corruption  wholly 
Ilain,  then  the  Conflid  of  Believers  might  wholly  ceafe  in 
this  Life ;  but  Grace  is  immortal,  like  a  living  Spring  that 
fhall  never  dry,  (  Joh.  4.  14.  )  like  a  Root  that  will  evj;^- 
grow,  {Mat,  13.  20 — 23)  and  Chrift  is  always  purging_  Be- 

O  4.  lievcr.s 


200  T^rue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

lievers,that  they  may  bring  forth  vioreFruit.{Jeh.  15,  2.)So 
that  he  that  is  born  of  God  cannot  Sin  as  others  do^{  i  Joh.i,.  9. ) 
cannot  Sin,  but  againil  the  Grain  of  his  Heart,  the  gra- 
cious Nature  continually  refifting.  (Gal.  ^.  ly.)  So  that 
it  is  certain,  ircm  the  Nature  of  Things,  that  David  and 
Solorrion^  neither  of  them  felt,  in  their  woril  Frames,  as 
graceiefs  Men  do.  Grace  refifted  within,  (G^/.  5.  17.) 
hating  their  Proceedings,  nor  did  it  ceafe  inwardly  to  foug- 
gle  and  torment  them,  till  the  one  cries  out,  Aly  Bones  zvax 
eld  thro'  ;;2>'  roaring  all  the  Bay  long.  Pfal.  52.  3.  Y ox  his 
Sin  was  ever  before  his  Eyes.  Pfal.  31.  3.  And  the  other. 
Vanity  of  Vanities^  all  is  Vanity  and  Vey:ation  of  Spirit, ' 
Eccl.  I.  2. 

Many  Storiy-Ground-Hearers.,  who  were  once  filled  v/ith 
Light  and  Jcy,do  wheji  theirReligion  is  all  worn  out,  and 
they  lie  dead  and  bhnd  and  ftupid  whole  Months  and 
Years  together,  cry.  The  hefi  are  dead  fometimes  ;  and  have 
Keccurie  to  David  and  Solomon  :  and  many  a  Hypo- 
crite, whofe  Religion  is  only  by  Fits  and  Pangs,  fome- 
tim.cs  floated  as  the  Streets  be  in  Summer,  by  a  fudden 
Shovv-er,  and  then  in  a  few  Days  as  dry  as  ever,  deceive 
themfclves  here  \  and  many  take  natural  Confcience  to  be 
a  Princiole  01  Grace,  and  the  War  betv/een  that  and  their 
Corruptions  to  be  a  gracious  ConPiid  :  But  as  all  coun- 
terfeit Religions  are  fpecifically  different  from  the  true, 
as  has  been  already  Ihewn,  fo  by  Confequence  their  Confiitfl: 
is  different  from  that  which  Believers  have,  in  it's  very 
Nature.  They  fight,  from  different  Principles,  and  for 
different  Ends,  and  about  different  Things,  and  in  a  dif- 
fcrentManner,ju{las  theirReiigions  difterfromone  another. 

II.  If  this  be  theNature  of  Converfion  andHolinefs^and 
the  Manner  wherein  they  are  wrought,  and  if  true  Religion 
be  thus  fpecifically  different  from  all  Counterfeits,/^^;/ ;;/^ 
Believers  oe  infallibly  certain  that  they  have  true  Grace.  A 
Man  cannot  but  perceive  his  own  Thoughts,  and  knov/ 
hat  Views  he  has,  and  be  intuitively  acquainted  with  his 
o  .vu  Defigns  and  Aims  ;  fo  every  Man  knows  it  is  with 
him.  as  to  the  Things  of  this  World.  Much  lefs  is  it  pof- 
ilible  tliat  there  Hiould  be  fo  great  a  Change  in  a  Man's 
ikrat  and  Ljfc,  Thoughts, Affcdions  and  A^^tions,  as  there 

is 


and  difiingutjhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   201 

is  made  by  Converfion,  and  yet  he  know  nothing  about  it; 
For  a  Man  to  be  awakened,  oat  o-f  a  State  of  Security  in 
Sin,  to  fee  whau  a  fnifui,  guilty,  helplefs,  loft,  undone 
Eftate  he  is  in,  and  yet  not  to  perceive  any  Thing  of  it, 
evidently  implies  a  Contradidlion,  and  fo  is  in  the  Nature 
of  Things  impofTible.  For  a  Man  to  be  brough:  to  fee 
God  in  his  infinite  Glory,  fo  as  to  be  difpofed  to  love  him 
fupremely,  live  to  him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him  fu- 
perlatively,&:  yet  not  to  perceive  it,  i.  e.  not  to  be  confcious 
of  his  Views  and  AfFe6i:ions,  alfo  implies  a  Contradidion, 
and  fo  is  impoffible.  For  a  Man  to  lofe  his  felfifh  and 
worldlyViews  more  and  more,  from  Year  to  Year,  and  die 
to  himfelf,  the  World  andSin,  and  tor  a  Man  to  live  a  Life 
of  Communion  with  God,  perfe6ling  Holinefs  in  the  Fear 
of  the  Lord,  and  yet  not  at  ail  to  perceive  it,  is  utterly  im- 
polTible.  For  the  Mind  of  Man  is  naturally  confcious  to 
it's  own  Actings.  So,  from  the  Nature  of  Things,  it  is 
evident  that  Grace  is  perceptible.  Yea,  in  it's  own  Nature, 
it  mutl  be  as  perceptible  as  Corruption,  Love  to  God  as 
Love  to  the  World,  Sorrow  for  Sin  as  Sorrow  forAfflidbion, 
aiming  at  God's  Glory  as  aiming  at  our  own  Honour  and 
Intereft.  But  if  true  Grace  be  in  it*s  own  Nature  percep- 
tible, and  if  it  be  alfo  fpecifically  different  from  all  Coun- 
terfeits, it  is  Self-evident  that  a  good  Man  may  know  that 
he  has  true  Grace.  I  cannot  fee  why,  extraordinary  Cafes 
excepted,  a  good  Man,  who  lives  a  Life  of  Communion 
with  and  Devotednefs  to  God,  and  in  the  daily  Exercife  of 
every  Grace,  may  not  come  to  know  that  he  has  Grace. 
Surely  he  muft  be  confcious  to  the  Adings  of  his  own 
Mind  j  for  this  is  natural.  And  furely  he  may  fee  the 
Difference  between  his  Religion  and  all  Countcrfeits,when 
the  Difference  is  fo  great  &  plain.  So  that  if  theScriptures 
did  not  exprefly  teach  us  that  AfTurance  is  attainable,  it  is 
yet  evidently  demonltrable  from  the  Nature  of  Things. 

But  the  Scriptures  do  plainly  teach  thisDod:rine,in  2  Fet. 
I.  10.  I  Job,  5.  13.  I  Job,  2.  3.  and  3.  14.  &c.  &c. — - 
Befides,  all  thofe  Promifes,  that  are  made  for  the  Comfort 
and  Support  of  God's  People  in  this  World,  fuppofc  that 
they  may  know  that  they  are  the  People  of  God.  For 
unlefs  a  Man  knows,  that  he  is  a  Child  of  God,  he  cannot 

rationally 


202  True  Religmi  delineated       Dis.  I, 

rationally  take  Comfort  in  thofe  Promifes,  which  are  pecu- 
liar to  fuch.  It  is  true,  brazen  Hypocrites  will  do  fo,  but 
they  ad'  very  prefumptuouily.  It  is  Folly  &  Madnefs  for 
me  to  flatter  my  felf,  that  God  has  promifed  to  do  fo  and 
fo  for  me,  unlefs  I  knew  that  I  am  one  to  whom  the  Pro- 
mifes belong.  For  Inftance,  it  is  Folly  and  Madnefs  for 
me  to  believe^  that  God  will  make  all  Things  work  together 
for  7ny  Good,  according  to  that  Promife  in  Rom.  8.  28. 
unlefs  I  know  that  /  love  God :  For  this  Promife  plainly 
refpeds  fuch,  and  no  other.  Bat  there  are  very  many  pre- 
cious Promifes  made  to  Believers  in  the  Word  of  God, 
wnich  are  evidently  defigned  tor  theirComfort  and  Support. 
It  is  certain  therefore  that  God  thinks  that  Believers  may 
know  they  are  fuch,  without  which  Knowledge,  all  thefe 
Promifes  cannot  attain  this  their  End. 

Befides,  to  fuppofe  that  to  be  a  Servant  of  God  and  a 
Servant  of  the  Devil,  to  be  going  the  Way  to  Heaven  and 
the  Way  to  Hell,  to  be  travelling  in  the  narrow  Way  and 
to  be  travelling  in  the  broad  Way,  are  fo  near  alike,  as  that 
even  good  Men  themfeives  cannot  pofTibly  know  them 
afander,  and  which  Way  they  are  going,  is  on  every  Ac- 
count intolerably  abfurd  •,  nor  could  the  Chriftian  World 
have  pofTibly  drunk  m  fuch  a  Notion  but  that  true  Grace 
is  fo  very  rare  a  Thing. 

I  may  here  by  the  Way  jufl  obferve  thefe  three  Things. 
I .  That  the  IVay  for  a  Man  to  know  that  he  has  Grace^  is  not 
to  try  himfelf  by  fallible  Signs ^  but  intuitively  to  look  into  hiin- 
felf  and  fee  Grace.  A  Thoufand  Signs  of  Grace  will  not 
prove  that  a  Maji  has  Grace.  There  is  no  Sign  ot  Grace 
to  be  depended  upon,  but  Grace  it  felf :  For  every  Thing, 
but  Grace,  a  Hypocrite  may  have.  And  what  Gracc,Ho- 
linefs,  or  true  Religion  is,  I  have  already  endeavoured  to 

fhew. 2.  That  the  Way  for  a  Man  to  know  that  he  has 

Grace.,  is  not  to  judge  himfelf  by  the  'Degree  and  Meafure  of 
his  religious  Frames  and  Affe^ionSy  or  the  Height  of  his  At- 
tainments i  but  by  thefpecial  Nature  of  them.  For  as  there 
is  not  any  one  Grace  but  a  Hypocrite  may  have  it's  Coun- 
terfeit, fo  Hypocrites  may  rife  as  high  in  their  Religion  as 
any  true  Believer  does  in  his.  Was  Elijah  the  Prophet 
jealous  for  the  Name  and  Worfhip  of  the  true  God  and 


againll 


.  and  dijiinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   203 

againft  falfe  Religion  ?  So  was  Jehu.  And  he  appeared  as 
full  of  Zeal,  and  more  Couragious,  and  did  greater  Exploits. 
There  was  fcarce  a  more  zealous  Saint  than  Elijah^  in  all 
Old-Teftument  Times  •,  but  yet  Jehu^  that  Hypocrite,  made 
a  much  greater  Shew  and  Noife,  feemed  to  be  fuller  of 
Zeal,  and  Courage,  and  adlually  did  greater  Exploits,  fet- 
ting  afide  the  Miracles  God  wrought  by  Elijah.  ( i  Kings  1 8, 
and  19.  Chap. — 2  Kings  9,  and  lo.  Chap.)  And  we  don't 
read  of  one  Saint,  in  ail  tlie  Bible^  that  faded  in  a  conftant 
Way,  twice  every  Week,  as  the  Pharifee  did.  (Luk.  18. J 
And  there  is  not  one  Saint  in  all  the  Bible  that  ever  did, 
externally  and  vifibly,  any  higher  Ads  of  Self-denial,  than 
to  give  all  his  Goods  to  feed  the  Poor^^.nd  his  Body  to  be  burnt y 
and  yet  St.  Paul  intimates  that  a  Man  may  do  fo  and  fiill 
have  no  Grace  in  his  Heart,  i  Cor.  13.  3.  It  is  no  certain 
Evidence  therefore,  that  a  Man  is  a  good  Man,  becaufe  he 
has  3,  great  deal  of  Religion,  more  than  the  moil,  and  full 
as  much  as  the  beft,  yea  more  than  any  in  all  the  Country, 
yea,or  in  all  the  whole  World.  For  mjehus  Time,  there  was 
not  perhaps  for  a  while  one  like  him,  upon  the  Face  of  the 
whole  Earth.  A  Man  therefore  cannot  know  that  he  is  a 
good  Man,  by  the  Degree  of  his  Religion,  but  only  from 
x\\zfpecial  Nature  of  it.  And  wherein  true  Religion  y/^rf- 
fM:ally  differs  from  all  Counterfeits,  I  have  already  fliewn.— 
3.  Since  Grace  is  in  it's  own  Nature  perceptible.,  zx\^fpeci- 
jically  different  from  all  Counterfeits,  there  is  no  Need  of  the 
immediate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit^  in  order  to  a  full  Ajfurance. 
If  the  Spirit  of  God  does  but  give  us  a  good  Degree  of 
Grace,  and  enlighten  our  Minds  to  underftand  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  fo  to  know  the  Nature  of  true  Grace,  we  may 
then  perceive  that  we  have  Grace.  And  the  more  Grace 
we  have,  the  more  perceptible  will  it  be,  and  it's  difference 
from  all  Counterfeits  will  be  the  more  plain.  And  if  a  Be- 
liever may  know,  and  be  certain,  that  he  has  Grace,  with- 
out the  immediate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit,  then  fuch  a  Wit- 
nefs is  altogether  needlefs,  and  would  be  of  no  Advantage  ; 
but  God  never  grants  his  Spirit  to  Believers  to  do  Things 
needlefs  and  to  no  Advantage  :  and  therefore  there  is  no 
fuch  Thing  as  the  immediate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit  in  this 
Affair.     And  befides,  'tis  plain,  the  Scriptures  every  where 

diredt 


2  04       True  Religion  delineated         D  i  s •  I. 

dired  us  to  look  into  our  felves,  to  fee  whether  we  love 
God  and  keep  his  Commands,  to  fee  whether  Chrift  in  his 
holy  Nature  be  formed  in  us,  to  fee  whether  thcSpirit  as  an 
enlightener  and  fanclifier  dwells  in  us  and  influences  and 
governs  us ;  but  never  once  diredls  us  to  look  for  the  im- 
mediate  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit,  in  order  to  know  whether 
we  have  Grace. 

Ob  J.  But  the  Text  fays  exprejly^  The  Spirit  it  felf 
beareth  Witnefs  with  our  Spirit,  that  we  are  the  Children 
of  God.  Rom.  8.  i6. 

Ans.  But  the  Text  does  not  in  the  leaft  intimate,  that 
the  Spirit  witneffes  immediately.     The  Spirit  hears  witnefs  j 
brut  how  ?  The  Spirit  jnakes  it  evident .,th2it  we  are  the  Chil- 
dren of  God  ;  but  in  what  Way  .?  By  immediate  Revelation  ! 
No,  the  Scripture  no  where  tells  us  to  look  for  fuch  Reve- 
lations, or  lays  down  any  Marks  whereby  we  may  know 
which  come  from  God,  and  which  from  the  Devil.    How 
then  does  the  Spirit  make  it  evident  that  we  are  the  Chil- 
dren of  God,  and  by  what  Witnefs  does  he  make  it  appear  ? 
Not  by  telling  of  us  that  we  are  Children^-,  the  Devil  may 
tell  Hypocrites  fo  •,  but  by  making  of  us  Children  in  the  very 
Temper  of  our  Hearts^  by  giving  to  us  much  of  a  Child-like 
Frame  of  Spirit  towards  God,  a  Thing  the  Devil  cannot 
do,  and  fo  a  Thing  by  which  we  may  certainly  know.   This 
holy,  divine,  child-like  Frame  andTemper  of  Heart,  where- 
by we  bear  the  very  Image  of  our  heavenly  Father,  is  God's 
Mark^  which,  more  or  lefs  confpicuoufly,  he  fets  upon  all 
theZ^;;;^j  of  his  Flock.  This  is  the  Seal  of  the  Spirit.  (Eph. 
I.  13.)  For  this  is  the  Earneft  of  our  Inheritance,  {f.i^.) 
*Tis  eternal  Life  begun  in  the  Soul.  {Joh.  17.  3O  This  is 
called  the  Witnefs  of  the  Spirit.,  becaufe  it  is  what  the  Spirit 
works  in  our  Hearts,  and  that  by  which  he  makes  it  evident 
that  we  are  the  Children  of  God  :  the  Befign  of  Witneffes 
being  to  make  Things  evident.  And  indeed  this  is  the  only 
diftinguifjjing  Mark  that  God  puts  upon  his  Children,  and 
the  only  Thing  wherein  they  differ  from  all  Hypocrites,  and 
is  the  only  Evidence  the  Scripture  direds   them  to  look  for 
and  exped,  and  without  which  all  other  Evidences  are  juft 
good  for  Nothing.     Mat.  7,  W— 27.  Jojp.  15.  2.   i  Joh^ 
-•  3->  4-  ajxl  3.  6—10. 

And 


J  and  dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   205 

And  this  being  thcCafcjWe  may  fee  how  much  out  of  the 
Way  thofe  be,  who  think  and  {diy^that  it  is  aSin  for  them  to 
doubt theGoodnefsof  theirState^becaufe  of  their Badncfs^^  becaufe 
they  can  fee  no  Grace  in  their  Hearts.  "  For,  fay  they,  that 
"  would  be  to  callGod'sTruth  ScFaithfuhiefs  intoQueftion, 
"  who  has  by  his  Spirit  immediately  allured  me  of  his 
"  Love  and  my  Salvation  •,  jufl  as  if  the  Immutability  of 
*'  his  Purpofe  depended  upon  my  good  Frames.  No,  I 
"  muft  do  as  Abraham  did,  ivho  againfi  Hope^  believed  in 
"  Hope  ^  lb  tho'  1  fee  no  Grace  in  my  Heart  or  Signs  of 
*'  any,  yet  I  muft  believe  my  State  is  good,  and  that  I  fhall 
*'  be  faved.  It  is  not  my  Duty  to  look  fo  much  into  my 
*'  own  Heart,  I  fhall  never  be  the  better  for  that  ;  but  I 
"  muft  look  to  Chrift,  and  believe,  and  never  doubt.  For 
"  the  Spirit  of  God  did  zx,fuch  a  l^ime  affure  me  of  Chrift's 
*'  Love  to  me,and  I  knew  I  was  not  deceived,  and  itwould 
"  now  be  a  great  Sin  in  me  to  doubt,  it  would  be  a  giving 
"  the  Lie  to  Chrift   and  to  the  holy  Spirit." 

How  fad  a  Delufion  are  fuch  poor  Sinners  under,  who 
dare  not  believe  the  holy  Scriptures,  for  fear  they  fhall  Sin, 
which  every  v/here  affure  us,  that  unlefs  we  are  holy  in 
Heart  and  Life,our  Faith  is  vain  and  we  in  a  State  of  Con- 
demnation ;  and  teach  us  that  we  ought  to  be  no  more 
confident  of  our  good  Eftate,  than  in  Proportion  as  our 
Sandlification  is  evident  !  How  fad  it  is  that  they  fhould 
attribute  all  their  Doubts  to  carnal  Reafon  or  the  Dezily 
which  indeed  are  but  the  fecret  Didlates  of  their  own  Con- 
fciences,  and  are  fo  agreeable  to  the  Word  of  God  !  What 
a  dreadful  Spirit  is  this,  that  thus  leads  them  off  from  the 
Word  of  God  ^  and  fo  blinds  their  Minds,  that  they  can- 
not underftand  it,  nor  dare  believe  it  !  Surely  it  can  be  no 
other  than  Satan  transfermed  into  an  Angel  of  Light.  * 

Alas  I 

*  Ob  J.  JSut  the  Scripture  forbids  Doubting.  Mat.  14  31.  O  thou  of  little 

Faith,  wherefore  didft  thou  doubt  ? 
Answ.  In  that  Text  Chrift  does  not  blame  Peter  for  doubting  his  State> 

but  for  doubting  he  (hould  be  drowned. 
Ob  J.  ^/^^C^r/>?  upbraided  them  with  their  Unbelief,  Mar.   16,  14. 
Answ.  He  did  nor  blame  them  for  not  believing  they  were  in  a  good 

Eftate,  but  for  not  believing  that  he  was  rifen  from  the  Dead. 
Ob  J.  J:  lit  Abraham  is  commendndy  in   Z^^/ againft  Hope  he   believed  in 

Hope,  Rom.  4.   18.  Answ. 


2o6        True  Religion  delineated         Dis.  I. 

Alas  !  Alas !  How  dees  the  God"  of  this  World  blind 
the  Minds  of  them  that  believe  not  !  Some  firmly  believe 
that  there  is  no  fuch  Thing,  as  a  good  Man's  knowing  that 
he  hasGrace  ;  and  fo  they  contentedly  live  along,  not  know- 
ing what  World  they  are  haflening  unto,  to  Heaven  or  to 
Hell  •,  but  they  hofe  their  State  is  good,  and  hep  their  Hope 
is  well  grounded,  but  know  not  but  that  their  Hope  is  that  of 
the  Hypocrite.  Yea,  they  are  not  willing  to  believe  there 
is  any  luch  Thing  as  knoiving^  for  that  would  make  them 
fufped  that  they  are  wrong,  and  that  true  Religion  is  fonie- 
thing  they  never  had  :  which  if  it  be  the  Cafe,  yet  they 
are  not  willing  to  know  it.     They  hide  themfelves  in  the 

dark ! 

Answ.  But  the  Thing  to  be  believed,  and  hoped  for,was,  that  he  fhould 
have  a  Son,  which  he  had  good  Grounds  to  cxpetl  :  So  this  is  no- 
tliing  to  the  Purpofe. 

Ob  J.  But  St.  Paul  fays.  We  walk  by  Faith,  and  not  by  Sight,  2  Cor.  5.  7. 

Answ.  That  is,  in  all  their  Condu6l  they  were  governed  by  a  realizing 
Belief  of  unfeen  Things,  and  not  by  Things  feen  and  temporal.  zCor. 
4.  18.  It  was  not  Fai'.i\  Way  to  lie  dead  whole  Months  and  Years 
together,  nor  was  he  ever  drove  to  fuch  a  Strait,  as  to  be  forced  to 
believe  bimfelf  to  be  in  a  good  Eflate,   without  fufficient  Evidence. 

Obj.  But,  what  is  not  of  Faith,  is  Sin,  Rom.  14.  23.  But  Doubts arife 
from  XJvbelief. 

Answ.  1.  If  any  Man  does  not  believe  that  it  is  lawful  for  him  to  do 
feme  particular  A61,  and  yet  ventures  to  do  it,  he  fins,  he  a6ts  againft 
his  own  Confcience.  This  is  the  plain  Senfe  of  the  Text.  And  fo 
this  Text  is  nothing  to  the  Purpofe. 

2.  An  Hypocrite's  Doubts  are  wont  to  arife  from  Unbelief,  i.e.  from 
his  not  ftedfafUy  believing  the  immediate  Revelations  which  he  had 
from  the  Devil,  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned.  The  De\'il  trys  to  keep 
him  quiet,  but  fometimes  his  Confcience  is  a  little  awakened,aiid  then 
he  fears  and  doubts  he  is  deluded  -,  and  now  the  Devil  tries  to  make 
him  believe  that  it  is  a  Sin  to  doubt.  The  Devil  would  fain  make 
him  believe  all  is  well,  i.  e.  believe  at  a  venture,  without  a  thoro* 
Search  and  Trial,  and  without  fufficient  Evidence. 

3.  It  is  a  Sin  for  a  true  Behever  to  live  fo  as  not  to  have  his  Eviden* 
ces  clear  ;  but  it  is  no  Sin  for  him  to  be  fo  honeft  and  impartial,  as  to 
doubt,  when  in  Fad  his  Evidences  are  not  clear.  It  is  a  Sin  to  darken 
hs  Evidences  ;  but  it  is  no  Sin  10  fee  that  they  are  darkened.  It  is  2 
Sin  for  a  Ivian,  by  Rioting  and  Drunkennefs,  to  nake  himfclf  fick  ; 
but  it  is  no  Sin  to  feel  that  he  is  fick  ;  or,  if  there  be  Grounds  for 
it,  to  do  bt  he  fhall  die.  We  may  bring  Calamities  upon  our  {^\sti 
by  our  S  ns,  both  outu-ard  and  inward  ;  and  our  Calaiwitie.'j  may 
arife  from  ouj  Sins  i  and  yet  our  CaLaaiiues  have  not  the  Nature  of 

Sinsy 


and  dijiinguifhed  fro?n  all  Counterfeits.  207 

dark  !  They  fay.  There  is  no  Light  I  And  will  not  believe 
that  a  good  Man  may  knew  that  he  has  paffed  from  Death 
to  Life,  While  ethers  from  the  very  fame  Principle,  viz. 
hecaife  they  hate  the  Lights  firmly  believe  that  it  is  a  Sin  to 
doubt  ',  and  fo  will  never,  dare  never,  call  their  State  into 
Queilion,  and  thoro'ly  look  thro'  the  Matter.  Both  are 
equally  rotten  at  Heart,  and  fo  equally  hate  the  Light, 
altho'  they  cake  different  Methods  to  keep  from  it.  And 
the  Devil  does  his  utmoft,  to  keep  both  fall  bound  where 
they  are. 

Happy  the  true  Believer,  who  is  made  impartial  by  di- 
vine Grace  1  It  is  a  Recovery  to  God  and  Holinefs,that  he 
is  after  -,  a  Confidence  that  his  Sins  are  pardoned,  without 
this,  would  be  but  a  poor  Thing.  If  he  obtains  this,  he 
gets  what  he  wants  :  and  if  not,  he  feels  himfelf  undone  ; 
nor  can  he  flatter  himfelf  that  he  has  obtained  it,  when  he 
has  not.  And  this  he  makes  his  only  Evidence  of  God's 
eternal  Love,  and  of  his  Title  to  eternal  Glory  •,  and  be- 
lieves his  State  to  be  good,  no  farther  than  this  goes. 
Mat.  7.  21 27. 

Thus  I   have   gone   thro'  the   /r/?  Ufe,    the  Ufe   of 
J)7flrudfio7i.     And  thus  we  fee  how  a  right  underftanding 
of  the  La-zv,  will  fet.many  of  the  Important  Dodrines  of 
Religion  in   a  clear  and  eafy,.,-in  a  fcriptural  and  rational' 
Light.     By  the  Law  we  may  learn  the  primitive  State  of 

Man, 

Sinsy  but  are  rather  of  the  Nature  of  Pumjhmenfs.  'Tis  Sin  in  Belie- 
vers which  lays  the  Foundation  for  Doubts  ;  'tis  Sin  which  is  the  Oc- 
cafion  of  their  Doubts  ;  but  their  Doubts  are  not  Sins  e'er  the  more 
for  this.  Some  feem  to  fuppofe  that  every  Thing  which  is  occafion- 
ed  by  Sin,  is  Sin  :  but  there  is  no  Truth  in  their  Suppofition.  'Tis 
not  a  Sin  for  unconverted  People  to  think  themfelves  to  be  unconverted, 
and  yet  that  Thought  of  themfelves  is  occafioned  by  Sin  :  for  their 
being  unconverted  is  their  Sin. 

Ob  J.  But  Bclie'vers  are  exhorted  to  hold  fall  their  Confidence.  Heh.  3.  6. 
And  it  is  faidy  ver.  14.  For  we  are  made  Partakers  of  Chrift,  if  we 
hold  the  beginning  of  our  Confidence  ftedfafl  unto  the  End. 

Answ.  That  is,  their  Confidence  that  Jefus  is  the  Cbrijiy  together  with 
a  true  Faith  in  him,  as  is  manifeft  from  the  whole  Context.  Nor  is 
any  Thing  more  abfurd  than  to  fay,  that  Men  Ihall  be  made  Partakers 
of  ChriJ},  if  they  hold  fall  their  Co,nfidc7ice  oi  their  good  EJi^te,  which 
is  yffhRt  many  a  Hypocrite  does,  aAd  that  to  the  very  lalt.  Mat.  7.22. 
Luk.  13.  25,  26,  27. 


2o8         True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

Man,  and  how  low  we  are  fallen,  and  to  what  wc  mull  be 
recovered  ^  and  fo  by  Confequence  how  averfc  we  are  to  a 
Recovery,  what  Grace  we  need  to  recover  us  -,  and  fb  by 
Confequence  that  we  muft  be  faved  by  fovcreign  Grace,  or 
not  at  all  \  whence  the  Reafonablenefs  of  the  Saints  Perfe- 
verance  appears  \  and  from  the  whole,  the  Nature  of  the 
chriftian  Confli6l,  and  the  Attainablcnefs  of  AlTurancc  are 
difcovered.  And  I  will  conclude  this  Ufe  with  two  Re- 
marks. 

Remark  i.  If  the  Law  requires  what,  I  think,  I  have 
proved  it  does,  and  a  Ccnforrnity  to  it  confifls  in  what  I 
have  before  defcribed  ^  then  all  the  other  Particulars  do 
necefiarily  &  moft  inevitably  follow  :  Such  was  the  Image 
of  God  in  which  Adam  was  created,  and  luch  is  our  natural 
Depravity,  and  fuch  are  the  bell  Duties  of  the  Unregene- 
rate,  and  fuch  is  the  Nature  of  Converfion,  and  our  Aver- 
fion  to  it,  &c.  So  that  if  my  firft  Principles  are  true, 
then  the  whole  Scheme  is  beyond  Difpute  true  alfo. — And 
what  are  my  firft  Principles  ?  Why,  that  to  love  God  with 
all  our  Hearts,  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  is  origi- 
nally the  very  EfTence  of  Religion  :  And  that  theGrounds 
upon  which  God  requires  us  fo  to  do,  are  to  be  the  Mo- 
tives of  our  Obedience.  He  requires  us  to  love  him  fu- 
premely  &c.  becaufe  he  ii  fupremely 'glorious  and  amiable, 
and  becaufe  our  additional  Obligations  to  him  are  what 
they  are.  He  requires  us  to  love  our  Neighbours  as  our 
felves,  becaufe  they  are  what  they  are,  and  ftand  in  fuch 
Relations  to  us.  With  a  perfedt  moral  Redlitude  of  Tem- 
per, influenced  and  governed  by  Truth,  by  the  Reafon 
and  Fitnefs  of  Things,  he  would  have  us  love  and  glorify 
him  as  GOD,  i.  e.  as  being  what  he  is  ^  and  love  and  treat 
our  Neighbours  as  being  what  they  are.  And  is  not  this 
evidently  the  meaning  ot  the  divineLaw  ? 

Remark  2.  If  the  Law,  as  a  Rule  of  Life,  be  fo  abated 
and  altered,  as  that  now  it  only  requires  us  merely  from  a 
Principle  of  Self-love  and  for  Self-Ends  fincerely  to  endea- 
vour to  love  God  and  keep  his  Commands,  and  aim  at 
his  Glory  :  and  if  the  Law,  as  a  Covenant,be  difannulled, 
and  fuch  an  Obedience  be  fubftituted  in  the  Room  of 
Perfedtion,  as  a  Condition  of  eternal  Lite,  or  as  a  Condition 

of 


and  dijlingutjhed from  all  Counterfeits.   209 

of  our  Intereft  in  Chrift  •,  then  the  contrary  to  all  that  I 
have  laid  down  is  moil  true  and  certain.  For  let  the  pri- 
mitive State  of  Man  be  what  it  would,  'tis  plain,  we 
are  not  entirely  dedicate  of  a  Conformity  to  this  new  Law, 
much  lefs  diametrically  oppofite  to  it  in  the  natural  Tem- 
per of  our  Minds,  nor  are  our  beft  Duties,  while  unrege- 
nerate.  Sin  -,  'tis  plain,  Converfion  is  another  and  a  much 
eafier  Thing,  and  that  we  are  not  fo  intirely  averfe  to  it. 
and  do  not  need  irrefiflible  Grace,  nor  lie  at  God's  fove- 
retgn  Mercy,  &c.  All  thcfe  Things,  and  many  more 
fuch  like,  are  plain,  if  t\itgGod  old  Law  is  thus  altered  and 
abated,  and  thus  difan nulled,  if  the  new  Law  requires  no 
more,  and  this  be  the  Condition  of  eternal  Life,  or  of  an 
Intereft  in  Chrift. —  So  that  if  any  are  difpofed  to  diibe- 
lieve  what  have  been  laid  down  as  Confequences,  and  to 
build  up  another  Fabrick,  if  they  will  be  confiftent  with 
themfelves,  they  can  lay  no  other  Foundation  than  this* 
viz.  To  deftroy  the  Law  ;  which  I  have  before  proved  to  be 
as  impolTible  as  to  deftroy  the  Nature  of  God  ',  becaufe  the 
moral  Law  necelTarily  refults  from  the  divine  Perfeclions, 
and  our  Obligations  to  conform  to  it  are  infinite,  eternal 
and  unchangeable,  as  the  Nature  and  Ferfeclions  of  God 
himfelf. 

And  therefore,  I  think,  we  may  conclude  with  the 
greatcft  Certainty,  that  this  Foundation,  viz,  that  theLaw 
is  thus  abated  and  altered,  is  but  Sand  ;  and  that  the  Fa- 
brick  built  upon  it  will  not  ftand.  If  the  Law  had  requir- 
ed us  to  love  our  felves  fupremely,  and  live  to  our  felves  ul- 
timately, and  to  have  endeavoured  to  love  God  and  our 
Neighbours  only  to  anfwer  our  own  Ends  ;  then  this  Sort 
of  Religion  would  have  been  right.  Did  I  hy^^ight  f  No, 
it  would  not  be  right,  being  unalterably  contrary  to  the 
very  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things  •,  nor  could  fuch  a  Law 
have  been  pofTibly  made  by  a  God  who  lovesRighteoufnefs, 
and  hates  Iniquity. — But  if  this  was  rights  if  this  was  Re- 
ligion, 'tis  plain.  Mankind  have  the  Root  of  the  Matter  in 
them  -,  for^ey  arc  all  naturally  inclined  to  love  themfelves 
fupremely,and  live  to  themfelves  ultimately  -,  and  fo  would 
not  need  to  be  born  again ^  to  have  a  new  Nature  •,  the  old  Na- 
ture would  be  luiEcient  j  they  would  only  need  to  be  ccn- 

r  vinced 


210  True  Religio7i  delineated       Dis.  I. 

vinced  that  it  is  for  their  Intereft  to  endeavour  to  love  God 
and  do  their  Duty,  and  merely  Self-love  would  make  them 
religious,  in  order  to  anfwer  their  own  Ends.  But  if  the 
Law  never  has  been  thus  abated  and  altered,  then  this  Re- 
ligion is  really  no  Religion  at  all,  nothing  but  mere  Hypo- 
crify,  and  di  a  Nature  diametrically  oppofite  to  true  Holi- 
nefs.  Only  let  it  be  clearly  determined,  What  the  Nature 
cf  the  moral  Law  is^  and  there  will  be  a  final  End  put  to  a 
hundred  Cont  rover  lies. 

Here  is  a  Man,  he  reforms  his  Life  a  little,  and  joins 
with  the  Church,  he  prays  in  his  Family,  and  fometim.es  in 
his  Clofet,and  for  the  mod  Part,  it  may  be,  he  is  honeft  in 
his  Dealings,  and  civil  and  fober  in  his  Behaviour  ;  and 
this  is  his  Converfion,  this  is  his  Religion.  And  now 
he  pleads,  that  Converfion  is  a  gradual  Thing,  becaufe  his 
was  fuch  •,  and  that  a  Man  cannot  know  when  he  was  con- 
verted, becaufe  that  is  the  Cafe  with  him  -,  that  there  is  no 
Need  of  irrefiftible  Grace,  becaufe  he  knows  that  it  is  a 
pretty  eafy  Thing  to  convert  as  he  has  done  ;  and  he  hates 
the  Doclrine  of  divine  Sovereignty,  becaufe  he  never  felt 
any  Need  of  a  fovereign  Grace  to  fave  him  j  and  he  holds 
falling  from  Grace,  becaufe  his  Religion  is  as  cafily  loft  as 
got.— But  does  he  know  that  he  has  any  Grace,  after  all  ? 
No,  no,  that  is  a  Thing  (fays  he)  none  can  know.  He  be- 
lieves, the  holy  Spirit  alTifts  him  •,  but  he  is  not  fenfible  of 
his  Infiuenres  or  of  any  Help  from  him,  any  more  than  if 
he  had  none.  He  believes,  he  loves  God  and  is  a  true 
Saint  at  Heart  •,  but  he  does  not  feel  any  more  Love  to 
God,  or  Grace  in  hisHeart,than  as  if  there  was  none  there ; 
and  the  Reafon  is,  becaufe  there  is  none.  But  being  fe- 
cure  in  Sin,  and  it  being  for  his  worldly  Intereft  to  make  a 
ProfefTion  of  Religion,  he  now  fets  up  tor  a  good  Man. 
For  without  the  Law  Sin  is  dead^  and  fo  he  is  ali-ve  without 
the  Lazv.  Rom.  7.  8,  9.  And  now  thofe  Do6lrines  and 
that  Preaching,  which  is  calculated  to  deted  his  Hypocrify 
and  awaken  him  out  of  his  Security,  he  hates  and  cries 
out  againft.  And  if  any  feem  to  experience  any  Thing 
further  in  Religion  than  he  has,  for  that  very  Reafon,  he 
condemns  it  all  for  Delufion.  But  he  pretends  mightily  to 
plead  up  for  Morality  and  good  Works,  tho'  in  Truth  he 

is 


and difttnguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  "211 

is  an  Enemy  to  all  real  Holinefs.  This  is  the  Courfe  of 
many,  but  Ibme  are  more  fincere  and  ftridl  and  confcien- 
tious  in  their  Way. 

But  let  Men  be  ever  fo  fincere,  ftridl  and  confcientious 
in  their  Religion,  if  all  refults  merely  from  Self-love,  the 
flavifli  Fears  of  Hell,  and  mercenary  Hopes  of  Heaven  ; 
there  is  not  in  all  their  Religion,  the  leaft  real  genuine 
Conformity  to  the  moral  Law.  It  is  all  but  an  hypocri- 
tical, feigned  Shew  of  Love  and  Obedience.  It  is  not  the 
Thing  which  the  Law  requires,  but  fomething  of  a  quite 
different  Nature  :  unlefs  we  lay  afide  God's  old  and  ever- 
lailing  Law,  and  invent  a  new,  abated,  altered  Law,  which 
lliall  declare  that  to  be  right, which  in  the  Nature  of  Things 
is  unalterably  wrong  :  and  by  fuch  a  Law,  fach  a  Religion 
will  pafs  for  genuine.  But  it  is  fad,  when  we  are  drove  to 
invent  a  new  Law^  to  vindicate  our  Religion  and  our  Hopes 
of  Heaven  ;  fince  at  the  Day  of  Judgment  we  fhali  find 
the  old  Law  to  be  in  full  Force. 

I  am  fenfible,  that  old  Objection  will  always  be  rifmg  : 
*'  But  it  is  not  jufl  that  God  fhould  require  of  us  more 
"  than  we  can  do,  and  then  threaten  to  damn  us  for  not 
*'  doing  of  it."  Jufl  as  if  God  may  not  require  us  to  love 
him  with  all  our  Hearts,  merely  becaufe  we  are  not  fuited 
with  him  :  And  jufl  as  if  we  were  not  to  Blame  for  being 
of  fuch  a  bad  Temper  and  Difpofition,  merely  becaufe  we 
are  thoro'ly  fettled  in  it  and  have  noHeart  to  be  otherwife  : 
Jufl  as  if  the  worfe  any  one  is,  the  lefs  he  is  to  "Blame  ; 
than  which  nothing  can  be  more  abfurd.  Truly,  I  cannot 
but  think,  that  by  this,  we  are  fo  far  from  being  excufed, 
that  even  merely  for  this,  wx  deferve  eternal  Damnation. 
For  what  can  be  much  w^orfe,  than  be  fo  thoro'ly  fettled 

and  fixed  in  fuch  a  bad  Temper  of  Mind  ? But  notwith- 

llanding  all  that  I  have  offered  to  clear  this  Point  heretofore, 
I  will  add,  that  if  it  is  not  juft  for  God  to  require  any  more 
of  us  than  we  can  do  •,  i.  e.  any  more  than  we  have,  not 
only  a  natural^  but  a  moral  Power  to  pertcrm  ;  then  thefc 
Things  will  neceffarily  follow  : 

I .  nat  there  was  not  the  leaft  Need  of  Chriji^s  dyin^  for 
us  as  cur  Redeemer.  For,  did  we  need  him  to  make  ariy 
Atonement  or  Satisfadion  for  our  Sirs  ?  Surely  no.     For 

P  2  God 


212         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

God  could  not  juftly  require  of  us  more  Satisfa6lion  for  our 
Sins,  than  we  were  able  to  make  •,  for  that  would  be  to 
require  more  than  we  can  do. —  Did  we  need  him  to  pur- 
chafe  the  divine  Favour  and  eternal  Life  for  us  ?  Surely 
no.  For  God  could  not  juilly  require  any  more  of  us  as 
a  Condition  of  his  Favour  and  eternal  Life,  than  we  our 
felves  were  able  to  do. —  Did  we  need  him  to  purchafe  an 
Abatement  of  the  Law  ?  Surely  no.  For  God  could  not 
in  his  Law  juftly  require  of  us  more  than  ^we  could  do  ; 
and  we  did  not  need  to  have  the  Law  brought  down  lo'v^- 
er  than  this. — Well  therefore  might  St.  Paul  itW  the  Gala- 
tionS)  that  ;/  Righteotifnefs  came  by  the  Law,  then  Chriji  is 
dead  in  vain.  Gal.  2.  21.  For  if  our  doing  as  well  as  we 
can,  in  the  Senfe  before  explained,  is  all  that  Righteoufjufs 
that  God  can  juflly  require  ;  this  alone  mod  certainly 
would  be  every  Way  fufficient  for  our  Salvation  ;  nor  did 
we  need  a  Saviour  any  more  than  the  Angels  in  Heaven  ; 
for  we  have  jufh  as  much  Power  to  do  as  well  as  we  can^  as 
they  have  to  do  as  well  as  they  can.  To  fay  the  contrary, 
is  a  Contradidion  in  exprefs  Terms. 

2.  Nor  was  there  the  leafi  Need  that  the  holy  Spirit  Jhould 
he  fent  into  the  World,  to  grant  any  inward  Affiftayice,  to  ena- 
ble us  to  do  cur  Duty  ;  for  we  had  a  full  and  perfed:  Power 
to  do  all  our  Duty,  without  any  fuch  AfTiftance  ;  for  God 
could  not  juftly  require  of  us,  any  more  than  we  could  do  -, 
and  every  one  is  able  to  do  what  he  can,  without  any  AfTif- 
tance. 

So  that  if  thisPrinciplebe  tru^.,thatGod cannot  juftly  require 
of  us  any  more  than  we  can  do,it  is  plain  we  neither  needed  a 
Redeemer  nor  2iSantlifier  •,  So  that  all  the  inEnitePaias  which 
God  has  taken  for  our  Redemption  and  Salvation,  has  been 
unneceflary  and  fruiclefs.  To  do  as  well  as  we  could,  was 
all  that  would  have  been  needful ;  and  this  is  ftill  as  much 
required  as  ever.  So  that  we  are  juft  where  wc  lliould  have 
been,  if  nothing  had  ever  been  done  for  us.  So  that  this 
Notion  entirely  undermines  and  fubverts  the  whole  Chriftian 
Religion,  in  fuppofing  that  all  the  extraordinary  and  won- 
derful Provifion  therein  made  for  the  Salvation  of  Sinners 
was  ncedlefs.  For  if  all  was  needlefs,  then  the  whole  is 
pcrfedtly  incredible  -,  for  it  is   incriWible  to  fuppofe  that 

God 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Connterfeits.  213 

God  would  do  fo  much  and  fuch  great  Things,  when  there 
was  no  Need  oF  it.  So  that  this  Notion  leads  diredly  to 
Infidelity.  Yea,  if  this  Principle  be  true,  we  may  be  cer- 
tain that  the  Golpel  is  full  of  Deceit  •,  for  the  Gofpel  every 
where  fuppofes  Sinners  to  have  been  in  a  helplefsy  undone 
Eftate,  and  that  they  might  juftly  have  been  left  fo,  and 
perifhed  for  ever.  And  it  every  where  reprefents  it  as 
owing  entirely  to  the  free  Grace  and  infinitely  great Good- 
nefs  of  God,  that  he  fent  his  Son  into  the  World  to  be  a 
Saviour,  and  the  holy  Spirit  to  be  a  San^tjfier  -,  all  which ^ 
upon  this  Principle,  is  notorioully  falfe.  For  we  were  not 
in  a  helplejs^  undone  Condition  •,  being  able,  of  our  felves, 
to  do  all\\\2X  God  could  juftly  require  of  us,  in  order  to 
eternal  Life.  Nor  did  we  need  to  be  beholden  to  God  for 
his  Grace  and  Goodnefs,  his  Son  or  his  Spirit  -,  being  able, 
of  our  felves,  to  do  all  that  which  he  could  juftly  require 
at  our  Hands.  Yea,  upon  this  Principle,  the  (jofpel  of- 
fers the  higheft  Affront  to  human  Nature,  in  that  it  fuppofes 
us  to  be  fuch  vile,  helplefs,  undone,  guilty  Wretches,  when, 
indeed,  and  inTruth,  we  be  not.  And  therefore  fo  long  as 
Men  really  believe  thisNotion,they  cannot  pofTibly  but  hate 
the  Do6trines  of  the  Gofpel,  and  oppofe  them.  And  fo, 
in  Fadl,  it  has  always  been. 

To  conclude,  therefore,  fince  it  is  fo  evident  from  the 
Law^  and  fo  evident  from  the  Gofpel^  that  we  are  finful, 
guilty,  helplefs,  undone  Creatures  ;  had  not  we  better  give 
into  it,  and  come  dov/n,  and  lie  in  the  Duft,  before  the 
Lord,  who  knows  what  we  be,  whether  we  will  own  it  or 
no  }  Had  we  not  better  own  his  Law  to  be  holy,  juft  and 
good,  and  acknowledge  that  we  lie  at  his  fovereignMercy> 
and  be  willing  to  be  beholden  to  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus 
Chrift  for  our  Salvation  •,  fince  we  muft  do  fo,  or  never  be 
faved  ?  What  will  it  profit  us  to  fly  in  his  Face,  and  fay, 
//  is  not  juft  for  him  to  require  more  than  we  can  do^  and 
then  damn  us  for  not  doing  f  When  all  that  he  requires,  is 
only  that  we  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts^  and  our  Neigh- 
f?our  as  our  felves  ♦,  which,  in  the  Nature  of  Thi|igs  is  infi- 
nitely reafonablc  ;  and  when  all  pijr  Impotency  arifes  only 
from  our  Badnefs,and  fo,  inftead  of  extenuating  our  Faulty 
.only  ^ifcovers  how  bad  we  be.    Surely  fince  all  the  Worlvi 

P  3  UA 


214  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

ftand  guilty, before  God,  really  guilty,  and  are  fo  accounted 
by  him  \  we  all  had  bed  ftop  our  Mouths,  and  own  the 
Sentence  juil,  by  which  we  Hand  condemned ;  while  it  is 
a  Time  of  Mercy  :  for  who  can  tell  butGod  may  pity  us  ? 

There  is  but  one  Way  now  left  to  evade  the  Force  of 
what  has  been  faid.  To  a  ftridl  Demonftration,  the  Law 
is  not,  and  cannot  be  abated  :  there  is  now  no  Way  there- 
fore but  to  deny  that  there  ever  ivas  fiich  a  Law.  But  then, 
if  God  be  what  I  fuppofe  him  to  be,  to  a  Demonftration 
the  Law  muft  be  fuch  too.  There  is  no  Way  therefore,  but 
to  deny  that  there  is  any  fuch  GOD  !  Well,  but  if  God  be 
not  what  I  fuppofe ;  wba/:  is  he  ?  Why,  we  may  fee  the 
whole  Scheme,  by  the  following  OhjeElion^  in  a  few  Words. 

Ob  J.  Gcd  is  a  Being  of  infinite  IJnderfl  ending  and  almighty 
Tcjoer^  'perfectly  difpofed  to  feek  the  Good  and  Happi'nefs  of  his 
Creatures.,  as  his  LAS^T  END.  He  loves  Virtue  and  rewards 
it^  merely  becanfe  it  tends  to  make  them  happy.  He  hates  Vice 
and  punifbes  it.,  merely  hecaufe  it  tends  to  make  them  miferahle. 
All  he  has  in  View.,  in  his  Commands  and  Prohibitions.,  in  his 
P^omifes  and  Threatnings.,  is  the  Gccd^  and  nothing  hut  merely 
the  Good.,  cf  hisCreatures.  Tea  Joe  efleemsT-hings  to  be  virtuous., 
merely  hecaufe  the-']  tend  to  make  us  happy.,  and  vicious  merely 
hecaufe  they  tend  to  make  us  miferable.  And  now  there- 
fore., if  we  look  upon  things  as  he  does.,  and  prof ecute  the  fame 
End ;  if  we  love  and  pra6fifeVirtue  with  a  fine  ere  View  to  our 
own  Happinef..,  as  our  LAS'T  END ;  we  do  all  that  God 
would  have  us  do.  And  how  can  we.,  if  we  weigh  Things^  but 
weft  heartily  andftncerely  love  fo  good  a  God.,  fo  kind  a  Fa- 
ther^ who  fo  dearly  loves  us.,  and  fo  tendei'ly  feeks  cur  Good  ? 

Ans.  IVue,  if  God  were  vtnljfuch  a  one.,  the  moft  wick- 
ed Man  in  the  World  could  not  but  love  him.  Self-love 
would  make  it  natural.  Even  Publicans  love  thofe,  who 
love  them  •,  and  arc  good  to  thofe,  who  are  kind  to  them. 
IMat.  5.  Did  Men  iirmly  believe  God  to  be  fuch  a  one, 
they  could  not  indeed  polTibly  be  at  Enmity  againft  him. 
Self-love  would  not  admit  of  it.  Men  would  not  need  any 
Grace  to  make  them  love  God  :  Nature  would  make  them 
iovc  lum.  They  could  not  but  love  him,  fo  long  as  they 
loved  thcmfelves.  And  now  if  God  indeed  be  fuch  a  one, 
I  readily  own,th«re  is  no  Truth  in  my  whole  Scheme  •,  but, 

from 


and  diftinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   215 

from  firft  to  laft,  it  is  all  a  Miftake.  For  it  is  altogether 
built  upon  a  Suppofition,  that  there  is  a  God,  of  a  Temper 
ejfentially  different. 

But  then  I  would  ^ery^  if  God  be  fuch  a  one,  if  he  aims 
only  at  his  Creature's  Happinefs,  why  does  he  ever  inflid 
Mifery  upon  them  ?  If  he  means  only  to  make  them  hap- 
py, why  does  he  ever  make  them  miferable  ?  Why  did  he 
drown  the  old  Worlds  burn  Sodom^  and  why  does  he  damn 
Sinners  to  all  Eternity  ? 

It  cannot  be,  becaufe  Juftice  requires  it.  For,  upon  this 
Scheme,  Juftice  does  not  require  it,  '  For  upon  this  Scheme 
Sin  does,  in  ilridl  Juftice,  deferve  no  Punilhment  at  all 

A  Crime  deferves  no  Punilhm.ent,  any  farther  than  it  is 
blame-worthy.  A  Crime  is  blame-worthy,  no  farther  than 
we  are  under  Obligations, to  do  otherwife.     According  to 
their  Scheme,  all  our  Obligations  to  be  virtuous   refulc 
merely  from  its  Tendency  to  make  us  happy.  Upon  their 
Scheme  therefore,  a  Sinner  is  to  blame  for  his  Sins,  merely 
becaufe  Sin  is  crofs  to  his  own  Happinefs,and  tends  to  make 
him  miferable.  There  is  no  other  Evil  in  Sin  but  this.  This 
is  the  only  Reafon  why  God  hates  it,  is  fet  againft  it,  and 
difpofed   to  punifh  it.     This  is  the  only  Reafon  why  he 
would  have  them  avoid  it.     And  this  is  the  only  Reafon 
they  are  to  Blame  for  it.     No  Man  is  blame-worthy  for 
Sin,  any  farther  than  he  was  under  Obligations  to  the  con- 
trary.    All  our  Obligations  to  Virtue,  according  to  themj, 
arife  from  its  natural  Tendency  to  make  us  happy.     And 
therefore  all  the  Evil  of  Sin  muft  arife  from  it's  natural 
Tendency  to  make  us  miferable.     This  Mifery,  therefore, 
is  exadly  equal  to  the  Evil  of  Sin.  For  all  the  Evil  of  Sin 
arifes  from  it,  or  rather  cor/ifts  in  it.     This  Mifery  is  all 
the  Evil  of  Sin  ;  and  this  Mifery  is  therefore  all  that  ren- 
ders Sin  blame- worthy,  i.  e.  I  am  to  blame  for  taking  a 
Courfe  that  tends  to  make  me  miferable.  And  why  ?  Mere- 
ly becaufe  it  tends  to  make  me  miferable.    For  that  Rea- 
fon, and  for  no  other.     Therefore  I  am  fo  m.uch  to  Blame, 
and  no  more  for  what  I  do,  than  according  to  the  Degree 
of  it's  Tendency  to  make  mc  miferable.  This  Mifery  there- 
fore,  which  naturally  refults  from  what  I  do,  is  equal  to 
my  E[lajjie.  And  is  therefore  the  worft^  and  all  that  I  deferve, 

P  4  For 


2i6         True  Religmi  delineated       Dis.  I. 

For  no  Crime  deferves  to  be  punifhcd,any  farther  than  it  is 
blame- worthy  *  And  from  the  whole,  to  a  Demonftration, 
it  follows,  that  upon  their  Scheme,Sin  deferves  noinflidled 
Pain  or  Mifery,  by  Way  of  Puniihment ;  over  and  above 
the  r'ain  or  Mifery  which  refults  neceflarily  from  its  own 
Narure.  And  now  if  Sin  does  not  deferve  any  fuch  Punifh- 
ment,.  then  Juflice  does  not  require  the  Governour  of  the 
World  to  inliufi:  any  fuch,  upon  any  of  his  Creatures,  the* 
ever  fo  finful.  For  Juilice  does  not  require  him  to  intiid 
a  Punifhmcnc  that  is  not  at  all  deferved.  Yea,  rather  it 
feem.s  Cruelty  fo  to  do.  It  therefore  Juftice  did  not  require 
it,why  didGod  drown  the  olSVorld  and  burn<S(5^^w,and  why 
does  he  damn  Sinners  to  all  Eternity  ? 

Certainly,  He  did  not  am  ai  their  Good,  when  he  drown- 
ed the  old  fForld  and  burnt  Sodoni.  And  certainly,  he  can- 
not aim  at  Sinners  Good  in  their  eternal  Damnation.  There 
are  fome  Calamities  in  this  Life,  v/hich  God  might  be  fup- 
pofed  to  fend  upon  his  Creatures  for  their  Good  ;  and  in- 
deed, ail  Things  confidered,  they  are  well  adapted  to  do 
them  Good  •,  yea,  and  are  all  made  to  work  together  for 
Good  to  them  that  love  tjod,  and  may  be  numbred  among 
their  Mercies.  But  what  fliall  we  fay,  when  God  drowns 
a  whole  World,  burns  up  fevcral  Cities,  and  damns  to  all 
Eternity  Millions  of  his  Creatures  :  Yea,  and  all  for  no- 
thing, when  they  deferved  no  111  at  his  Hands,  not  the 

leafl ! 

*  Obj.  "  But  are  we  not,  according  to  their  Scheme,  under  Obligations 
"  refulting  from  the  Authsoriry  and  Cornnand  of  God  ?" 

Answ.  We  are,  according  to  tneir  Scheme,  under  no  Obl'gations  t«  re- 
gard the  Authority  and  Command  ot  God  at  all  ;  only,  and  merely, 
and  purely,  becaufe  it  is  for  our  Interelt  io  to  do.  As  themfelves  ac- 
knov/iedge. 

Ciij.  *  Cut  are  we  not,  according  to  thi:ni  ohllgcdt  to  have  regard  to  our 
Ncighbcur's  Welfare  ?"'      ■    " 

Af.'s.  Only,  merely,  purely  becaufe  it  is  for  our  own  Intercft  to  do  (o. 
For  according  to  them,  all  our  Obligations  to  pruCtife  any  Virtue,  arife 
oriorinally  only  from  it's  being  for  our  own  Intcrcil.  The  Language 
of  fuch  a  Praflice  plainly  is,  that  there  is  not  one  Being  in  the  whole 
Syflem  worth  regarding  but  my  felf  ;  I  nnr,  a>:d  hefides  mr,  there  is  no 
ether  I  I  will  regard  none,  but  juft  to  anfwcr  my  own  Ends :  And  fa 
really  and  ftridly,  regard  none,  but  my  i^\^.  'i  ins  is  a  Religion  that 
will  fuit  Naiiire  -,  and  in  this  Scr.lc  nivy  julll.  l-c  called  natural  P^-H-: 


and  dijiinguijbed  from  all  Counterfeits.  217 

leaft  1     Where  is  his  Juftice  now  !    Yea,  Where  is  his  Good- 
nefs  !  Or  what  does  he  mean  !  What  does  he  intend ! 

Certainly,  He  cannot  intend  to  deal  fo  feverely  with  fomc 
of  his  poor  Creatures,  who  never  deferved  any  111  at  his 
Hands,  merely  for  the  Good  of  others^  to  fright  and  warn 
and  deter  them  from  Vice.  For  this  would  be  to  do  Evil^ 
that  Good  might  come  :  Yea,  this  would  be  the  Way  rather 
that  Good  might  never  come.  For  how  could  any  of  his 
Creatures  or  Subjeds,  heartily  lave  him  or  like  his  Con- 
dudt,  while  they  behold  Millionsof  their  Fellow-Creatures 
fufFering,  for  nothing  at  all,  fuch  infinite  Pains,  under  his 
Hands  !  Where  is  his  Juftice  ?  would  they  all  cry  :  And 
where  is  his  Goodnefs  ?  They  would  hate  him,  and  flee 
from  him,  and  dread  a  Government  fo  infinitely  tyrannical. 
Indeed,  to  inflidt  a  proper  Punifhment,  in  Cafe  of  juft 
Defert,  is  a  good  Thing,  tends  to  maintain  Government, 
and  make  Men  afraid  of  Sin,  and  ftand  in  Awe  of  the 
great  Lawgiver  and  Judge  of  the  World.  Yea,  'tis  a 
beautiful  Conduct,  and  tends  to  make  God  appear  amiable 
in  the  Eyes  of  all  holy  Beings.  Rev.  19.  i, — 6.  But  to 
afflid  and  torment  poor  Creatures,*  who  do  not  at  all  de- 
ferve  it,  and  that  for  ever,  cannot  poflibly  anfwer  any 
good  End  ♦,  but,  of  NecefTity,  muft  promote  a  Thoufand 
bad  ones,  v/hen  all  the  Time  the  true  State  of  the  Cafe  is 
publickly  known  and  underftood  throughout  all  God's 
Dominions.  It  is  juft  as  if  a  Father,  who  has  tenChildren, 
fhould  hang  up  Eve  every  Monday-Morning,  and  whip 
them  almoft  to  Death,  for  nothing  in  the  World,  but  to 
make  the  reft  love  him,  and  be  good  and  obedient  Chil- 
dren. And  would  they  love  him  e'er  the  more -for  this  ? 
Yea,  they  could  not  but  hate  fo  cruel  aTyrant.  Now,there- 
fore,  if  their  Scheme  be  true,  why  did  God  drown  the  old 
Worlds  and  burn  Sodom  ?  And  why  does  he  damn  Sinners 
to  all  Eternity  ? 

Yea,  if  Sin  deferves  no  inflidted  Punifhment,  as  upon 
their  Scheme  it  does  not  ♦,  why  does  God  ever  once  inflidb 
the  leaft,the  very  leaft  Puniihment  for  it,  in  all  hisDomini- 
pns  ?  And  that,  which  tho'  not  in  its  own  Nature  more 
unaccountable,  yet  is  more  furprizing  -,  why  has  God,  all 
along,  from  the  beginning  of  the  World,  been  inflidling 

fuch 


2l8         True  Religion  delineated         Dis.I. 

fuch  a  dreadful  Train  of  Punifliments  for  Sin  ?  Why  did 
God  turn  the  Angels  out  of  Heaven  for  their  firft  Sin,  and 
doom  them  to  an  eternal  Hell  ?  when  they  did  not  at  all 
dcferve  it.  Why  did  God  threaten  Adam  with  Death  in 
Cafe  of  Difobedience  P  Why  is  Death  laid  to  be  the  Wa- 
ges of  Sin  ?  Why  did  God  caufe  the  Earth  to  open  and 
iwallow  up  Korah  and  his  Company  ?  Why  did  God  caufe 
the  Carcafes  of  fix  Hundred  Thoufand  to  fall  in  the  Wil- 
dcrnefs  ?  Why  did  God  ftrike  Uzza  dead  ?  And  why  a 
Thoufand  more  Things,  which  have  happened  in  the  Sight 
of  the  World  ?  Surely,it  can't  be  for  cur  Goody  to  be  ftruck 
dead  and  fent  to  Hell.  And  furely,  it  can't  be  for  the 
Good  of  any  in  all  God's  World,  that  fhall  fee  or  ever  hear 
of  it  :  when,  all  the  while  it  is  publickly  known,  that 
we  deferve  no  111  at  God's  Hands.     No,  not  the  leaft. 

And  now  after  all,  to  torment  us  in  Hell  for  ever,  for 
nothing  in  the  World,  where  the  Fire  jh  all  never  he  quenched^ 
and  the  Worm  Jhall  never  die  \  yea,  and  to  appoint  a  Day 
of  Judgment,  under  a  Pretence  of  doing  nothing  but  ftridt 
Juftice  i  and  to  fummon  all  Worlds  together,  to  fee  and 
hear,  to  the  End  that  his  Impartiality  and  Juftice  might 
appear  to  all  :  When,  all  the  while,  he  knows,  and  all  the 
World  knows,  that  his  poor  Creatures  deferve  no  111  at  his 
Hands  :  No,  not  the  leaft  !     JVhat  can  he  mean  ? 

Yea,  and  that  which  is  a  great  deal  worfe  than  all,  that  I 
even  fhudder  to  think  of  it ;  he  not  only  makes  a  Law,  to 
punifti  Sinners  eternally  in  Hell,  when  there  was  noGrounds 
tor  it,  and  puts  it  in  Execution  upon  his  poor  Creatures 
who  do  not  deferve  it  :  But,  having  one  only  Son,  of 
equal  Glory  with  himfeif,  he  delivers  him  to  Death,  in  the 
Room  and  Stead  of  Sinners  -,  pretending  that  Sin  was  fo 
bad  a  Thing,  that  without  the  jhedding  of  Blood  there  could 
he  no  Remijfion^  and  therefore  his  own  Son  muft  die,  to  the 
End  he  might  be  juft,  while  hejujlified  the  Sinner  that  fhould 
believe  in  him  :  While,  all  the  Time,  if  their  Scheme  is  true, 
he  knew,  and  all  the  World  will  know,  fooner  or  later,  that 
Sin  never  deferved  the  leaft  Puniftiment  at  his  Hands  ! 

To  conclude,  therefore.  If  God  be  what  they  fuppofe, 
I  grant,  the  Scheme  I  have  laid  down  is  not  right.  And  it 
is  equally  evident,  that  the  Bible  is  not  right  neither.    For 

the 


and  dijiinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  219 

the  Law  and  the  Gofpel^  the  old  Tefiament  and  the  new^fvtrf 
where  fuppofe,  and  take  it  for  granted,  that  Sin  is  an  in- 
finite Evil,  deferves  the  Wrath  and  Curfe  of  God,  all  the 
Miferies  of  this  Life,  and  Death  it  felf,  and  the  Pains  rf 
Hell  for  ever.  The  Law  threatens  all  this.  According  to 
the  Gofpel^  Chrift  has  died  to  redeem  us  from  all  this,  as 
what  we  juftly  deferve.  The  Bible  therefore,  in  a  Word, 
fuppofes  we  deferve  it  all  •,  but  their  Scheme  fuppofes  we  do 
not.  The  God  that  made  the  Bible^  has  no  Doubt  of  it ; 
he  made  his  Law  upon  this  Ground,  and  upon  this  Foot 
he  gave  his  Son  to  die,  has  appointed  a  Day  of  Judgment, 
and  prepared  a  Place  of  Torment,  a  Lake  of  Fire  and  Brim- 
ftone  :  But  their  God  is  of  quite  another  Mind,  can  fee  no 
fuch  infinite  Evil  in  Sin ;  yea,  no  Evil  at  all  in  it,  but  what 
refults  from  it's  Tendency  to  make  us  miferable.  Their  God 
therefore,  is  not  the  God  of  Ifrael^  nor  the  God  that  made  the 
Bible  ;  and  therefore  is  no  God^  is  nothing  but  an  Image 
framed  in  their  own  Fancy,  fuited  to  their  own  Hearts. 

Befides,their  Idea  of  God  is  contrary,not  only  thus  to  the 
general  Tenour  of  Scripture,  but  alfo  to  many  plain  and 
exprefs  Declarations,  (r.)  'Tis  manifeft,that  God  does  not 
make  the  Happinefs  of  his  Creatures  his  laji  End,  from 
Exod.  9.  16.  Num.  14.  13. — 21.  Lev.  10.  3.  Pfal.  106. 
8.  Ezek.  20.  throughout.  Ezek.  ^6,  21,22,23.  and  38.  23. 
and  39.  6,  7,  13,  21,  22.  Rom.  9.  22,  23.  Rom.  11.  36. 
Rev.  4.  II. —  (2.)  'Tis  manifeit,  that  God  does  not  require 
his  Creatures  to  love  and  obey  him  merely  becaufe  it  tends 
to  make  them  happy  fo  to  do,  from  Exod.  20.  2.  Lev.  19. 
2.  Pfal.  29.  2.  and  96.  4,  8.  and  148.  13.  i  Cor.  6.  20. 
(3.)  'Tis  manifeft,  that  God  does  not  threaten  and  punifh 
Sin  merely  becaufe  it  tends  to  make  his  Creatures  miferable, 
from  I  Sam.  2.  29,  30.  2  Sam.  12.  7 — 14.  Pfal.  51.  4. 
Mai.  I.  6,  7,  8,  14. 

But  to  conclude. — How  fad  and  dreadful  a  Thing  will  it 
be,  for  poor  Sinners,  when  they  come  to  die,  and  enter  into 
the  World  of  Spirits,  there  to  find  that  the  God  they  once 
loved  and  trufted  in,  was  nothing  but  an  Image  framed  in 
their  own  Fancy  !  They  hated  the  God  of  Ifraelj  and  hated 
his  Law,  and  therefore  would  not  believe  that  God  or  his 
Law  were  indeed  what  they  were.     They  were  refolved  to 

have 


2  20         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

have  a  God  and  a  Law  more  to  their  Minds.  How  dread- 
ful will  their  Difappointment  be !  How  dreadful  their 
furprife !  They  would  never  own  they  were  Enemies  to 
God  ;  now  they  fee  their  Enmity  was  fo  great,  as  to  make 
them  refolutely,  notwithdanding  the  plaineft  Evidence, 
even  to  deny  him  to  be  what  he  was.  And  how 
righteous  will  the  Ways  of  the  Lord  appear  to  be,  in  that 
hegavefuch  over  to  ftrong  Delufions  to  believe  a  Eie, 
who  did  not  love,  and  would  not  believe,  the  Truth  ;  but 
had  Pleafure  inUnrightecufnefs  ?  2  T>^^/ 2.10,11,  12.  So 
the  Gentile  Nations  not  liking  to  retain  God  in  their  Know- 
ledge, were  given  over  to  reprobate  Minds,  and  left,  every 
Nation,  to  make  fuch  a  God,  as  beft  plealed  themfelves, 
Rom,  I . But  it  is  Time  to  proceed  to  the  next  life. 

Section     VI. 

Rules  of  Trial, 

USE  II.  Which  may  be-  of  Examination.  What  has 
been  faid  may  ferve  to  clear  up  to  real  Saints  their  gracious 
State,  and  may  afford  Matter  of  Convi«5lion  to  others. 

And  here  I  would  take  the  humble  Believer  in  his  Ele- 
ment, that  is,  in  his  Clofet,  where  he  retires  from  theNoife 
and  Bufinefs  of  the  World,  where  he  loves  to  be  alone,  to 
read  the  Bible,  to  meditate  on  the  Perfedions  of  God,  and 
think  of  his  Works  andWays,  where  he  mourns  and  prays 
and  loves  God  and  gives  up  himfelf  to  him. —  In  a  ferious 
Hour  of  fweet  Retirement,  when  you  are  moft  your  f elf  and 
your  Thoughts  moft  about  you,  I  would  enquire.  What  are 
your  Views  ?  And  what  is  the  inward  Temper  of  your  Mind  ? 
And  how  do  you  live  F  And  what  is  it  that  habitually  influen- 
ces you  in  your  daily  Condu5l  ? 

Do  you  know  God  ^  Do  you  fee  him  to  be  fuch  a  one 
as  he  really  is  ?  Even  fuch  a  one  as  the  Scriptures  reprefent 
him  to  be  ?  And  do  you  account  him  infinitely  glorious 
and  amiable  in  being  fuch  a  one  ?  And  do  you  begin  to 
love  him  with  all  your  Heart  ?  Do  you  efteem  him  fo,  as 
to  exult  in  his  Supremacy  and  abfolute  Sovereignty  ? 
And  fo  will  his  Glory  and  value  his  Honour   and  Intereft, 


as 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  221 

as  to  give  up  your  felf  to  live  to  him  ?  And  fo  delight  in 
him,  as  to  choofe  him  for  your  prefent  and  everlaftingPor- 

tion  ? True,  your  remaining  Biindnefs  and  Ignorance  is 

very  great  :  but  do  you  not  feel  it,  and  groan  under  it  as 
your  Burden,and  hate  your  felf  for  it  as  yourSin,  lamenting 
the  Sottiihnefs  of  your  Heart,  that  you  fhould  be  fo  fenfe- 
lefs  and  brutifli,  after  {o  many  outward  Advantages  and  in- 
ward Helps,  and  amidft  fuch  clear  Manifeftations  made  of 
God  and  of  his  infinite  Glory  in  his  Word  and  in  all  his 
Works  and  Ways  ;  and  feel  that  you  are  wholly  to  Blame 
for  the  Stupidity  and  Unteachablenefs  of  your  Heart,ready 
to  fay  with  him  of  old,  So  foclijh  am  I  and  ignorant^  I  am  as 
a  Bea§f  before  thee  ?  Pfal.  y^.  22.  Your  Difefteem  of  God, 
andUnconcernednefs  about  hisHonour  and  Intereft,is  great, 
and  you  have  ftill  a  Difpofition  to  hate  to  live  upon  God 
only, without  any  Thing  elfe  to  takeComfort  in,  as  thePor- 
tion  of  your  Soul  •,  and  fo  you  are  inclined  to  forget  God, 
to  forfake  him,  to  depart  and  go  av/ay  and  fall  inLove  with 
fomething  elfe,  and  feek  another  reiting  Place,  and  fome- 
thing  elfe  to  take  Comfort  in  :  But  do  you  not  feel  this 
your  remaining  Want  of  Conformity  to  God's  Law,  and 
native  Contrariety  to  it  ?  And  do  you  not  hate  it,  and  hate 
your  felf  for  it  ?  Do  you  not  groan  under  it,  and  lament  ir, 
and  watch  and  pray  and  fight  againft  it,  feeling  the  infinite 
Sinfulnefs  of  it  ?  Saying,  The  Law  is  hcl)\  juft  and  good  ; 
hut  I  am  carnal  fold  u?ider  Sin  :—  0  wretched  Man  that  I  am  ! 
Rom.  7.  14,  24. 

And  what  are  the  Grounds  of  your  Love  to  God,  and 
from  whatMotives  is  it  that  you  are  influenced  to  love  him  ? 
Does  God  indeed  appear  infinitely  great,glorious,  and  ami- 
able in  being  what  he  is  ?  And  do  you  love  him  becaufe  he 
is  juft  fuch  a  one  ?  Do  you  love  to  m.editate  his  incompre- 
henfibly  glorious  Perfedtions,  and  wonder  and  adore  ?  Are 
you  glad,that  he  knows  allThings,  and  can  do  every  Thing? 
Are  the  various  Manifeftations  of  divine  Wifdom,  in  the 
moral  Government  of  the  World,  glorious  in  your  Eyes  ? 
Does  it  fuit  your  Heart,  that  God  governs  the  World  as  he 
does  ?  Doyou  love,that  thePride  of  allFlelh  fhould  bebro't 
low,  and  the  Lord  a]cne  be  exalted  ?  Are  you  glad,  that 
God  lovesRighteoufnefs  and  hates  iniquity  as  hs  does  ;  and 

do 


222  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

do  you  heartily  approve  the  Stridlnefs  of  his  Law  in  the 
Matter  of  your  Duty,  and  the  Severity  thereof  againft  the 
leaftSin  ?  And  are  you  fwectly  fenfible  of  the  infiniteGood- 
nefs  of  God,  and  of  his  Truth  and  Faithfulnefs  ?  And  does 
God  appear  infinitely  Glorious  bccaufe  he  is  juit  what  he  is  ? 
And  is  this  the  primary  Foundation  of  your  Love  ?  In  a 
Word,  do  you  fee  him  as  the  great  Creator,  Preferver  and 
Governour  of  the  World,  as  the  Redeemer,  San6lifier  and 
Saviour  of  hisPeople,  as  he  has  thus  revealed  himfelf  by  his 
Word  and  in  his  Works,  and  do  you  love  him  for  being 
what  he  is  ?  And  do  you  alfo  feel  the  powerful  Influence  of 
thofe  fuperadded  Obligations  you  are  under  to  love  him  ? 
In  other  Cafes,  when  we  love  any  T  hing,  we  know  why  we 
love  it  :  So  alfo  do  Believers  know  why  they  love  theLord 
their  God. 

And  does  it  not  appear  to  you  infinitely  reafonable^  that 
you  Ihould  love  God  with  all  your  Heart,  that  you  fhould 
be  wholly  his,  and  wholly  for  him, and  make  him  your  All, 
while  you  behold  his  infinite  Glory,  his  compleat  Alfuffi- 
ciency,  his  original,  entire  Right  to  you,  and  abfolute  Au- 
thority over  you  ?  And  does  not  his  Law  in  requiring  you 
to  do  fo,  appear  to  be  infinitely  right,  perfedly  holy,  juil 
and  good,  worthy  to  (land  in  full  Force  for  ever,  unabated 
and  unaltered  ?  Ahd  do  you  not  fee,  that  the  leaftWant  of 
Conformity  to  this  Lav/,  or  TranfgrefTion  of  it,  is  infinitely 
Vile,  and  that  a  perfect  Conformity  thereto  deferves  no 
Thanks  :  And  do  you  not  feel  your  felf  wholly  to  Blame 
for  your  not  being  altogether  fuch  as  the  Law  requires  ? 
Hypocrites  are  generally  very  ignorant  of  the  Law,  in  it's 
true  Meaning  and  Strictnefs  •,  and  fo  are  ignorant  of  their 
Want  of  Conformity  unto  it,  and  of  their  inward  Contrari- 
ety to  it.  Rom.  7.  8,9.  Forotherwife  all  Hypocrites  would 
know  certainly  that  they  have  no  Grace.  But  yet  Hypo- 
crites, at  leaft  many  of  them,  know  fomething  about  the 
Law  and  their  Want  of  Conformity  to  it,  and  fomething  a- 
bout  their  inward  Contrariety  to  it  ;  and  hence  may  com- 
plain of  the  Blindnefs  of  their  Minds,  the  Deadnefs  of  their 
Hearts,  and  of  their  Pride  and  Worldlinefs  :  But  no  Hy* 
pocrite  is  heartily  fenfible  that  the  Law  is  holy,iuft,  &  good 
in  requiring  Pertedion  j  and  that  he  himfelt  is  entirely  to 

Blame 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   223 

Blame  for  not  being  perfedlly  holy,  and  that  the  Fault  is 
wholly  his.  Some  will  lay,  "  I  defire  to  love  God,  and  to 
"  aim  at  hisGlory,  and  do  myDuty  :  but  no  Man  is, or  can 
*'  be  perfed  :  And  God  does  not  require  more  of  us  than 
"  we  can  do."  And  fo  they  think  themfelve*  excufable,and 
are  not  fenlible  that  it  is  infinitely  vile  in  them  not  to  love 

God  with  all  their  Hearts. Others  will  fay,  "  I  can  do 

''  Nothing  of  my  feif  :  it  is  Chrift  that  muft  do  all.  I  defire 
"  to  love  God  i  but  I  can't.  It  is  the  Spirit  that  muft 
"  fill  my  Fleart  with  Love,  and  God  is  the  fovereign  Dif- 
"  penfer  of  his  Grace  \  lb  that  if  I  am  dead  and  dull  and 
"  fenfelefs  and  ftupid,  I  can't  help  it."  And  fo  they  alfo 
think  themfelves  excufable,  and  are  not  fenfible  that  it  is 
infinitely  vile  in  them  not  to  love  God  with  all  theirHeart?. — 
But  now,  how  flands  the  Cafe  with  you  }  Have  you  any 
fecrct  Way  of  excufing  your  felf  ?  Or  do  you  fee  that  the 
Law  is  holy  juil  and  good,  and  that  you  only  are  to  Blame, 
wholly  to  Blame,  and  Altogether  without  Excufe  ;  yea,  and 
exceeding  Vile,  for  all  your  Biindnefs  and  Deadnefs,and  for 
every  Thing  wherein  you  are  not  jufi:  what  theLaw  requires 
you  to  be  ?  'Tis  this  which  makes  Believers  fenfible  of 
their  Defert  of  Damnation,  all  their  Lives  long,  and  loath 
and  abhor  themfelves  before  the  Lord.  And  'tis  this  which 
caufes  them  more  and  more  to  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift  and 
free  Grace,  and  admire  and  prize  the  glorious  Gofpel.  O 
wretched  Man  that  1  am  !  U^ho  jhall  deliver  me  ?  -^  1  thank 
God  thro*  Jefus  Chrift  our  Lord. Rom.  7.  24,  25. 

And  do  you  begin  to  be  of  a  Difpofition  really  to  love 
your  Neighbour  as  your  Self  ?  Be  your  AfFe6lions  under 
the  Government  of  a  Spirit  of  difinterefted  Lnpartiality,  fo 
that  you  are  dilpofed  to  value  your  feif  only  for  thofe  Pro- 
perties in  you  that  are  good  and  excellent,  and  only  in  Pro- 
portion to  their  Worth  and  Excellency  ♦,  and  by  this  Rule 
to  efteem  your  Neighbours,  your  Friends,  and  your  Foes, 
and  all  Men  ?  And  do  you  hate  a  contrary  Difpofition  in 
you  ?  And  is  your  Heart  full  of  Love  and  Kindnefs  and 
Benevolence,  wifhing  well  to  all,  fceking  the  Good  of  all, 
and  even  grieved  when  your  Enemies  are  in  Adverfity  ? 

And  to  conclude.  Does  Love  toGod  and  toyourNeigK- 
bour  govern  you  in  your  Thoughts,  Affections  and  Adions, 

and 


2  24  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

and  daily  influence  you  to  live  to  God,  and  do  Good  in  the 
World  •,  fo  that  now  you  are  not  your  own,  but  given  up 
to  God  to  do  his  Will,  feeking  his  Glory  ? —  A  holy  Lite 
does  as  naturally  proceed  from  a  holy  lieart,  as  a  Stream 
does  from  a  living  Fountain. 

Once  you  was  Darknefs  ;  But  are  you  now  Light  in  the 
Lord  ?  Once,as  to  right  fpiritualViews  of  God,yourNeigh' 
hour,  or  your  felf,  ot  thisWorld  or  the  next,  you  had  none  ; 
you  was  blind,  your  Underitanding  was  darkened  \  and  fo 
your  Apprehenfions  were  wrong,  and  you  loved  your 
wrong  Apprehenfions,  &  took  Pleafure  in  Error,  Falfhood 
and  Sin,  and  hated  the  Light,  hated  Truth  and  Duty : 
once  you  was  wholly  devoid  of  the  divine  Image,and  defti- 
tute  of  all  Good  ;  yea,  and  you  was  wholly  averfe  to  God, 
and  full  of  all  Evil.  And  did  you  ever  fee  and  feel  this  to 
be  your  State  }  and  have  you  by  divine  Grace  been  reco- 
vered out  of  it  ? — Have  you  been  effeclually  taught,  that 
your  Light  was  Darknefs,  and  your  Knowledge  Ignorance, 
and  been  made  fenfible  of  theBlindnefs  of  yourMind  ?  And 
have  you  learnt,  that  all  your  feeming  Goodnefs  wasCoun- 
terfeit  ?  and  that  in  you  did  dwell  no  good  Thing  ?  Yea, 
that  your  feeming  Goodnefs  was  real  Wickednei^,  in 
that  your  Heart  was  in  perfedl  Contrariety  to  God  and  his 
Law  ?  Has  divine  Light  fhined  in  your  Heart,  and  your 
native  Darknefs,  as  well  as  contra6led  Blindnefs,  been  dif- 
pelied  from  your  Soul  \  fo  that  now  your  Views  of  God,  of 
your  Neighbour  and  your  Self,  of  this  World  and  the  next, 
are  right,  and  your  Apprehenfions  according  to  Truth, 
and  has  the  Truth  made  you  free  ?  Do  you  now  look 
upon  God,  in  fomeMeafure  according  to  the  Capacity  of  a 
Creature,  as  he  docs  upon  himfelf,  when  he  takes  upon  him 
the  Character  of  mod  high  GOD,  fupremc  L-ORD,  and 
fovereign  GOVERNOLRof  the  whole  World,  and  fays, 
/  am  the  Lcrd^  that  is  my  Name^  and  befides  me  therf  is  no 
ether  Gcd  ?  And  do  you  fee  it  is  infinitely  fit  that  all 
the  World  fhould  love,  worlhip  and  adore  him  ?  Do  you 
now  look  upon  your  Neighbours,  in  fome  Meafure  as  God 
does,  when  he  commands  you  to  love  them  as  your  felt  j 
and  fo  fee  that  it  is  perfedlly  right  that  you  fhould  ?  And 
do  you  look  upon  your  felf  and  every  Ihing  in  thisWorld, 

in 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counter f cits.   225 

in  fome  Meafure  as  God  does,  when  he  commands  you  to 
deny  your  {t\\^  and  tbrfakc  all  Things  ibr  his  Sake  ;  and 
lee  that  it  is  moft  ht  and  reafonable  to  die  to  your  felf  and 
to  this  World,  and  give  up  your  felf  to  God,  to  love  him 
and  live  to  him,  and  delight  in  lum  tor  ever  \  And  do  ycu 
iinderlland,  that  the  Things  which  are  ieen  are  temporal, 
and  that  the  Things  which  are  urifeen  are  eternal  ? 
And  do  all  poflible  Troubles  in  the  Ways  of  God,  in  lome 
Meafure,  appear  only  as  light  Afflictions,  which  are  but 
for  a  Moment,  and  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the 
Glory  that  ihall  be  revealed  ?  Do  you  thus  know  the 
Truth,  and  has  the  Truth  made  you  free  from  your  old 
Servitude  •,  and  are  you  eP/eduaily  influenced  and  govern- 
ed by  thcfe  Views  and  Apprehenfions,  and  this  Senfe  of 
Things,  to  bring  forth  Fruit  to  God,  an  hundred-fold,  or 
fixty-fold,cr  at  lead  thirty-fold  ?  For  divineKnowledge  is 
efficacious,  and  the  holy  and  divine  Effe6ls  and  Fruits  arc 
always  equal  to  the  Degree  of  Knowledge  •,  (T  Jch.  3.  6  J 
Ano.  e-very  Branch  which  Imngeth  not  fcrth  Fruity  is  cut  cff 
and  caft  into  the  Fire.  Are  you  thus  born  again,  and  become 
a  new  Creature,  and  learnt  to  live  a  new  and  divine  Life  ? 

And  is  it  not  now^  mofl  manifefl  to  you,  that  all  this  is 
fo  far  from  having  been  the  Frodudi:  of  Nature,  that  all  that 
is  in  Nature,  every  natural  Propenfity  of  the  Heart,  has 
from  Hrft  to  laft  been  utterly  againil  the  Change,  and  made 
aconilant  andmightyRefifcance  ?  And  do  you  not  plainly 
perceive,  that,  from  firil  to  laft,  the  Work  has  been  begun 
and  carried  on  by  God  himfelf  ? 

And  does  it  not  appear  to  ycu,  as  the  moft  aftonifliing 
Goodnefs  in  God,  and  owing  to  nothing  but  his  fovereign 
tree  Grace,  that  you  have  thus  been  called  out  of  Darknefs 
into  marvellous  Light,  turned  trom  thePower  of  Sin  &  Satan 
to  ferve  the  living  God  ?  And  do  you  not  plainly  fee,  there 
is  nothing  but  the  fame  infinite  Goodnefs  and  free  Grace 
to  m.ove  God  to  carry  on  and  compleat  this  Work  in  ycvir 
Heart,  and  that  fo,  if  ever  you  get  to  Heaven, the  whole  of 
your  Salvation,  from  firft  to  laft,  will  be  abfolutely  and 
entirely  to  be  attributed  to  free  Grace?  And  have  you 
not  hence  learnt  to  live  upon  free  Grace  thro'  jefus  Chrift 
for  all  Things  ? 

Q^  And 


226         Irue  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I, 

And  do  you  not  perceive,that  he,who  has  begun,  does  ac- 
tually carry  on  the  Work  of  Grace  iny  ourHearts  ?  And  that 
all  the  external  Difpenfations  of  Providence  and  internal 
Influences  of  the  Spirit  concur  in  their  Operation,  to  hum- 
ble you  and  wean  you  from  the  World  and  imbitter  Sin, 
to  bring  you  nearer  to  God  and  to  love  him  and  to  live  to 
him  and  to  live  upon  him,  and  to  make  you  more  ferious, 
morefpiritually-minded  and  heavenly-minded,more  watch- 
ful and  prayerful,  and  more  loving  and  kind  and  tender- 
hearted and  obliging  to  all  Mankind,  both  Friends  ani 
Foes  •,  and  to  make  you  daily  attend  upon  the  Duties  of 
your  particular  Calling,  and  upon  all  the  common  Bufinefs 
of  Life,  as  a  Servant  of  God,  in  Singlencfs  of  Heart,  doing 
Service  to  the  Lord  ? 

And  altho'  you  was  once  dead  in  Sin  and  wholly  without 
Strength,  yet  do  you  not  now  feel  that  you  are  fpiritually 
alive,  and  fo  put  into  a  Capacity  for  a  fpiritual  Activity, 
and  that  you  are  engaged  to  be  active  for  God  ?  Not  that 
your  Sufficiency  is  of  your  felf  as  once  you  thought  it  was  : 
For  you  are  not  fufficient  of  y cur  felf^  as  cf  your  feif\  hut  ycur 
Sufficiency  is  of  God.  Yet  do  you  not  find  that  thro''  Chrift 
Jtrengthning  ofyou^  you  can  do  all  Things  ?  And  do  you  not 
from  the  Heart  hate  the  W^ay  of  lazy,  dead-hearted  Hy- 
pocrites, who  fit  ftill  and  carelefly  cry,  "  We  can  do  no- 
**  thing,  'tis  Chrift  that  muil  do  all,"  and  under  a  Notion 
(^f  not  doing  any  Thing  in  their  own  Strength,  gratify  their 
Lazinefs,  and  do  nothing  at  alll !  AccurfedLazinefs  !  Ac- 
curfed  Hypocrify  1  Do  you  not  feel,  I  fay,  that  you  are 
put  into  a  Capacity  for  fpiritual  Activity  ?  And  are  you 
not  engaged  to  be  adlive  for  God  ?  For  you  are  his  IVork^ 
manjhip ^created  in  Chrifljefus  wito  goodlForkSyXhdX  you  might 
walk  in  them.  While  the  Spirit  of  God  is  taking  down 
the  Power  of  Sin  in  your  Pleart,  and  flaying  your  Cor- 
ruptions 'j  are  you  net  aifo  crucifying  the  Flefh  with  the  Af- 
fections and  Lufts  ?  While  God  is  loorking  in  you  to  will 
and  to  do,  are  you  not  working  out  ycur  Salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  with  filial  Fear  aiid  holy  Concern  ?  While 
the  Spirit  cf  God  gives  you  Ivligbt  in  the  inner  Man,  do  not 
you  put  on  the  whole  Armour  of  God,  and  fight  with  Flefh  and 
Bhidy  with  Principalures  and  Powers  ?  This  is  the  Way  of 

Believers. 


and  diflingutjhed from  all  Counterfeits  2  27 

Believers.  And  the  Spirit  does  not  come  upon  them-  by 
Fits,  as  it  did  upon  Balaam  \  but  dwells  in  them  and  abides 
in  them  ior  ever  ;  to  purify  them  from  all  Iniquity^  and  make 
them  a  peculiar  Pecple^  zealous  of  good  l^Fcj-ks, 

Finally,  Do  you  not  experience  that  your  Religion  is 
Ibmething  real  and  perceptible^  and  fee  that  it  is  fpccifitally 
different  irom  any  Thing  that  poffibly  can  ariie  merely 
from  a  Principle  of  Self-love  ?  You  perceive  your  Views 
of  God,  and  Senfe  of  his  Greatncfs,  Glory  and  Beauty  •, 
and  you  perceive  your  Senfe  of  the  World's  Emptinels,and 
or  your  own  natural  Vilenefs  and  Wretchednefs  ;  and  your 
Love  to  God, your  Weanednefs  from  the  World,  and  your 
Mourning  for  Sin  are  perceptible.  And  is  it  not  eafy  to 
perceive  w^hy  you  love  God,  are  weaned  from  the  Worlds 
and  mourn  for  Sin  ♦,  namely,  becaufe  God  is  infinitely 
lovely,  the  World  empty  and  worthlefs,  and  Sin  the  greatefl 
Evil  ^.  And  while  thefe  Views  and  AfFedions  eifeclually 
influence  you  to  all  holy  living,  their  Genuinenefs  is  made 
ftili  more  evident  and  plain.  And,  from  the  whole,  you 
arife  to  a  rational  and  fcriptural  Knowledge  of  your  gra-- 
cbus  State. 

From  what  has  been  faid  upon  this  Subjed,  a  great  Va* 
riety  of  other  Queftions  might  be  put  to  the  Believer  \  but 
the  whole  has  been  treated  fo  plainly  and  pradtically,  that 
I  need  add  no  more.  And  if  gracelefs  Perfons,  had  it  in 
their  Hearts  to  be  honeft  and  impartial,  they  might  eafily 
know,  that  they  are  Strangers  to  real  Religion.  But  it 
they  have  not  the  Thing  itfelf,  they  will  either  work  up 
fomcthing  like  itj  or  elfe  deny  that  there  is  any  fuchThing  : 
for  he  that  doth  Evil^hateth  the  Light  ;  and  fodoes  he  who 
has  a  rotten  Heart.  And  hence  fome  cry,  "  The  ht'ik  have 
*'  their  Failings"  •,  and  they  watch  and  catch  at  the  Fail- 
ings of  fuch  as  are  accounted  godly,  and  dwell  upon  them; 
and  magnify  them  •,  and  fo  quiet  their  Confciences,  and  go 
on  in  their  Sins.  Others  cry,  "  The  befl  are  dead  Ibme- 
times"  s  and  fo  maintain  their  Hopes,  altho'  they  lie  dead,' 
whole  Months  and  Years  together,  and  live  in  Sin,  and 
never  come  to  found  Repentance.  Cthtrs  cry,  "  You 
will  difcourage  weak  Chriftians ;  "  meaning  themfelves. 
Juft  as  if  there  were  a  Sort  of  Chriiliaas  that  cannot  bt;ar 

CL2  the 


228      True  Religion  delineated         D  i  s .  I . 

the  Light,  nor  (land  a  fcriptural  Trial.  What  will  they 
do,  when  they  come  before  the  awful  Bar  of  the  Heart- 
fearching  God !  Others  cry,  "  But  every  Chriftian  docs 
not  experience  alike  •/*  and  fo  tho*  they  are  deflitute  of  the 
very  EfTence  and  Life  of  Religion,  yet  they  hope  all  is  well. 
And  many  are  confident  that  thefeThings  arc  not  fo,  "  for, 
fay  they,  If  thefeThings  are  true,  who  then  fhall  be  faved  ?  " 
I  anfwer,  Strait  is  the  Gate^  and  7mrrcw  is  the  Way  that 
leads  to  Life  ;  and  few  there  he  that  find  it  :  hut  wide  is  the 
Gate,  and  broad  is  the  Way  that  leads  to  DeHru^ficn,  and 
many  go  in  thereat.  Mat.  7.  13,  14.  And  mark  what  fol- 
lows in  the  next  Verfe,  f.  15.  Beware  of  falfe  Prophets, 
which  come  to  you  in  Sheeps-cloathing,  but  inwardly  are  ra- 
'vening  Wolves,  f.  16.  Te  floall  know  them  by  their  Fruit s.^^ 
By  what  Fruits  }  Why,  this  is  the  conftant  Chara6ler  of 
falfeProphets  throughout  the  Bible,  that  they  cry.  Peace  and 
Safety.,  and  heal  the  Wound  of  poor  Sinners  flightily,  and  daub 
with  untempered  Mortar,  i.  e.  They  make  Religion  to  be 
an  eafier  Thing  than  it  is,  more  agreeable  to  corrupt  Na- 
ture ;  and  fo  encourage  Sinners  to  reft  in  fomething  fhort 
of  true  Grace.  So  the  Pharifees  did,  notwithftanding  all 
their  pretended  Striclnefs  ;  and  fo  the  Arminians  do,  not- 
withftanding all  their  feeming  Zeal  for  good  Works  •,  and 
fo  the  Antinomians  do,  notv/ithftanding  all  their  Pretences 
to  extraordinary  Light  and  Joy  and  Zeal  and  Purity  and 
Holinefs.  And  this  is  the  common  Charader  of  all  falfe 
Prophets  and  falfe  Teachers  and  Hereticks,  that,  being 
Enemies  to  true  Religion,  they  cut  out  a  falfe  Scheme  in 
their  Heads,  to  fuit  their  own  Hearts  -,  and  fo,  however 
greatly  they  may  differ  in  many  Things,  yet  herein  all 
agree,  to  make  Religion  an  eafier  Thing  than  the  Bible 
does,  and  to  make  the  Gate  wider  and  the  Way  broader 
than  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles ;  and  by  this  Mark  the  diffe- 
rence between  them  and  the  true  Prophets  may  always  be 
certainly  known.  And  thcretcre  Chrift  having  juft  faid. 
Strait  is  theGate  and  yiarrow  the  Way  'Sec.  immediately  adds. 
Beware  of  falfe  Prophets,  by  their  Fruits  ye  fcall  know  them  ^ 
for  they  all  invent  fome  e^fier  V/ay  to  Heaven,  tho'  it  may 
be  in  Sheeps  cleat hing,  i.  e.  under  a  Sh<iv^  oi  great  Striclnefs. 
And  this  their  invention  hc'mg  falfe,  they  are  thus  denomi- 
nated 


and  dijlingui/hed from  all  Counterfeits.  229 

nated//?//^  Prophets,  And  thus  what  has  been  faid  concern- 
ing the  Nature  of  true  Religion,  may  fervc  to  clear  up  the 
Believer's  gracious  State  ;  and  may  afford  Matter  of  Con- 
vidion  to  others. 

Section    VII. 

Jf^e  have  great  Reafon  to  be  humhle^andthank-- 
fuly  and  live  intirely  devoted  to  GOD. 

USE  III.  Of  Humiliation,  What  has  been  faid  may  be 
improved  by  Sinners  and  Saints  to  promote  their  Humilia- 
tion :  For  by  the  Law  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin  ;  and  a 
Sight  and  Senfe  of  our  Sinfulnefs,  tends  to  abafe  us  before 
the  Lord. 

In  this  Glafs  of  the  Law^  Sinners  may  fee  what  they  be  in 
Heart  and  Life,  and  by  this  Rule  they  may  learn  how  God 
looks  upon  them.  There  is  a  Knowledge  of  our  felves,  of 
our  Hearts  and  Lives,  that  is  natural  to  us.  Men, by  their 
Power  of  Self-refledlion,  have  a  Sort  of  an  Acquaintance 
with  themfelves  :  they  know  their  prefent  Views  and  De- 
figns,  their  prefent  Inclinations  and  Way  of  Living ;  and 
remember,  more  or  lefs,  how  they  have  lived  in  Years  paft. 
But  Men  are  naturally  very  ignorant  of  the  Nature  of  God 
and  of  his  holy  Law  •,  and  fo  are  very  ignorant  of  them- 
felves in  a  moral  Senfe,  are  very  infenfible  how  God  looks 
upon  them,  and  what  their  Hearts  &  Li  es  be,  compared 
with  God  and  his  holy  Law.  Natural  Cpnfcience  has  fbme 
Notions  about  Right  andWrong,and  fo  does  fomething  to- 
wards accufing  and  condemning  Men,  efpecially  for  their 
grofler  Sins  ;  but  natural  Confcience  is  for  the  mod  Part  fo 
blind  and  fo  much  afleep,  and  in  moft  Men  has  been  fo 
much  abufed  and  brow-beat  and  kept  under,  that  it  lets 
Men  pretty  much  alone,  Men  hold  the  Truth  in  Unrigh- 
teoufnefs^  according  to  the  Apojik's  Phrafe,  and  keep  their 
Confciences  in  Chains  ;  and  fo  are  in  a  great  Meafurc  with- 
out the  Law  •,  and  hence  Sin  is  dead :  iox  where  there  is  noLaw^ 
there  is  no  Tranjgrejion :  and  when  Men  know  not  the  Law 
in  i;'8  true  Meaning  and  Extent,  they  arc  infenfible  how 

QL3  <^i^ey 


230  True  Religion  delineated   .  Dis.  I. 

they  fwerve  from  it,  and  how  contrary  they  be  to  it,  and 
how  finful  Sill  is  :  Bat  when  the  Commandment  comes y  Sin 
revives. 

Think  of  this  therefore,   O  Sinner,   that  the   infinitely 
glorious  God,  your  Creator,  Preferver  and  Governour,  de- 
ferves  to  be  loved  and  hved  to  and  delig^hted   in  with   all 
ycxir  Heart  •,    and  that  this   is  what  he  requires  a&  your 
Hands ;  and  know  it,  he  hates  your  hypocritical  Shews  and 
Pretences,  fo  long  as  that  in  Heart,  he  fees,    you  are  an 
Enemy  to  him.      iTou  may  pretend,  that   you  can't  help 
your  Hearts  being  fo  bad  ;  but  God  knows,  you  love  your 
Corruptions,  and  hate  to  have  them  (lain,  and  love  to  have 
them  gratiii-fd.     You  love  to  be   proud,   and  hence  you 
love  to  be  applauded  :  and  the  Praife  of  Men  is  fweet,ancj 
of  greater  Price  with  you  than  the  Praife  of  God  •,  you  will 
do  more  to  pieafe  the  World,  than  to  pleafe  God  ;  yea,  will 
difpleafe  God,  to  keep  in  with  a  wicked  World,  who  hate 
God  ;  and  God  knows  it.     You  love  to  love  the  World  ; 
and  hence  love  to  lay  worldly  Schemes,  and   are   fecretly 
raviflied  with  v/ondiy  Hopes  when  Phii:gs  are  likely  to  go 
w^ell,  and  account  no  Pains  too  great  in  worldly  Purfuits  ; 
but  you  hite  to  pray  in  fecret,  have  no  Fleart  for  God,  can 
take  no  Delight  in  him  :  and  God  knows  it.     And  will 
you  now  pretend,  for  your  Excufe,    that  you   can't  help 
your  Heart's  being  fo  bad  ;  whenas  it  \s  you  your  f elf  th2Li. 
are  fo  bad,  and  love  to  be  fo  bad,  and  hate  to  ceafe  to  be 
what  you  are.     If  God  has  by  his    Spirit  awakened  your 
Confcience  a  little  and  terrified  you  with  the  Fears  of  Hell 
and  Wrath,  it  may  be,  your   Corruptions  arc  fomewhat 
ftunned,  and  Honour  and  worldly  Gains  do  not  appear  fo 
tempting,  and  you  are  ready  to  fay,  that  you  would  willing- 
ly part  with  your  Reputation  and  every  Thing  you  have  in 
the  World,  for  an  Intereft  in  Chrift  and  the  divine  Favour  -, 
and  now  you  think  you  are  fincere  :    But  God  knows,  it'^ 
all  Hypocrify  -,    for  he  fees,  you  do  not  care  for  Him,  but 
are  only  afraid  of  Damnation.     And  God  knows,  that  if 
once  you  fliould  get  a  falfc  Confidence;  of  Pardon  and  the 
divine  Favour,  you  would  foon  return  to  Folly,  as  the  Dog 
to  his  Vomit,    and  fet  out  after  the  World  as  eagerly  as 
ever  ;  cr  cife  vent  your  Corruptions  in  fpiritual  Pride,  and 

in 


and  difttnguipoed  frQ7n  all  Counterfeits.  231 

in  ranting  Enthufiaftick  Wild-fire  and  Party  felfilh  Zeal, 
as  Thoufands  have  done,  who  once  felt  juft  as  you  do  now„ 
God  therefore  does  not  mind  your  Pretences,   nor  believe 
your  Fromifes,  for  he  knows  what  you  are.     You  may  de* 
ceive  your  felf,   but  can't  deceive  him.     He  knows,  your 
Corruptions  are  ftunned,  but  not  mortified  •,  and  that  your 
Nature  is  juft  what  it  was,  and  you,  as  really,  an  Enemy 
to  God  as  ever.     And  it  may  be,  you  may  fee  it  yet,  when 
you  come  to  find  out  how  God  looks  upon  you,  and  upon 
your  Prayers  and  Tears  and  Promifes  •,  for  it's  commonly 
the  Cafe  with  Sinners,  when  they  perceive  that  God  is  not 
pleafed  with  their  devout  Pretences,   and  does  not  defign  to 
fave  them  for  their  hypocritical  Duties,  by  the  fecret  work- 
ings of  their  Hearts  to  difcover  that  they  care  only  for 
themfelves,   and  are  real  Enemies  to  God  and  his  Law. 
Love  to  God,  O  Sinner,  is  not  begotten  by  the  Fears  of 
Hell,  nor  by  the  Hopes  of  Heaven.     If  you  do  not  love 
God  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf,  you  do  not  love  him  at  all ; 
but  only  flatter  him  with  your  Lips  and  lie  unto  him  with 
your  Tongue.     But  it  may  be  manifeft  to  you,  that  you  do 
not  love  him  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf  5  becaufe  you  do  not 
love  his  Law  which  bears  his  Image.     You  do  not  like 
the  Law  as  a  Rule  for  you  to  live  by,  for  it  is  too  ftrid  for 
you.     And  you  do  not  approve  of  the  Law  as  a  Rule  for 
God  to  judge  you  by,  for  you  think  it  hard  for  God  to 
damn  Men  for  the  leaft  Sin.     Know  it,  therefore,  O  Sin- 
ner, that  there  is  not  any  Good  in  you,  or  any  Goodnefs 
in  your  Duties ;  but  you  are  in  a  State  of  Rebellion,  an 
Enemy  to  God  and  to  his  holy  Law  :    and  come  down 
and  lie  in  the  Duft  before  the  Lord,  and  own  the  Sentence 
juft  by  which  you  ftand  condemned,  and   be  quiet  at  his 
Feet  i  and  if  ever  he  faves  you,  for  ever  attribute  it  wholly 
to  free  and  fovereign  Qxzz^.-^Whm  the  Commandment  came^ 
Sin  revived^  and  I  died. 

And  fuch  a  one  was  you,  O  Believer;  and  in  fomc 
Meafure  you  are  fuch  a  one  flill  ;  and  in  fome  Refpedfi 
your  Sins  are  a  great  deal  more  aggravated.  Oh  never  for* 
get  the  Days,  and  Weeks,  and  Months,  and  Years  you 
have  formerly  fpent  in  Sin  !  Once  I  was  a  Perfecutor^  and 
(I  BlaJ^hemer^  and  Injurious^  fays  Su  Paul  j  jmd  his  Heart 

0^4  bleedjs 


233  True  Religion  Jelineated       Dis.  I. 

bleeds  afrefh,  and  he  fets  himfelf  down  for  the  chief  of  Sin- 
ners.   i  "Tim.  i.  13,  15. 

But  what  be  you  now,  after  all  the. Grace  of  God,  after 
all  the  kind  Methods  Heaven  has  taken  to  reclaim  you, 
and  what  are  your  Attainments,  if  you  compare  your  Self 
and  Attainments  with  the  holy  Law  of  God  in  it's  fpiritual 
Nature  and  divine  Stridnefs  ?     Do  you  feel  fuch  a  Heart 
towards  tlie  great  and  glorious   Governour  of  the  whole 
World,  as  becomes  you  ?     Think,  what  a  God  he  is,  and 
hovr  Angels  and  Saints  on  high  love  him.     Think  of  his 
Majelly  a  :d  Greatnefs  &  Glory  &  jixceiiency,  and  how  he 
is  the  Fear  &  Dclig^nt  &Joy  of  aii  Heaven.    Think  of  his 
original  and  entire  Kight  to  you,    and  abfoiute  Authority 
over  you.     l"iiink  ol"  the  Viienefs  of  your  Apoflacy,  and 
of  the  Depth  of  your  Ruin.     Think  of  redeaning  Love. 
Think  ot  converting  Grace.     Think  of  the  many  Means 
God  has  u  ed  with  you  in  his  Providence  6^  by  his  Spirit. 
Think  of  aii  his  Loving-kindneffes  and  tender  Mercies. — 
And,  think,  what  a  Beail  be  you  betore  the  Lord !    Lie 
down  in  the  Duft,  and  cry  and  mourn  md  weep,  and  let 
your  Heart  break  !     Oh,your  v/an  of  Love  to  God,of  Zeal 
for  his  Glory,  of  Delight  m  his  Perfections,  and  of  Grati- 
tude  for  all  his  Kindnefs  !    Alas,  how  you   difefteem  the 
God  that  Angels  love,  and  comparatively  defpiie  the  GOD 
that  all  Heaven  adores  !     Alas,  how  careiefs  you  be  about 
his  Honour  and  Intereft,   and  how  inadtive  in  his  Service  !- 
Alas,  how  you  difreliili  the  Fountain  of  all  Goodnefs  and 
the  Ocean  of  all  BlciTedncfs,  and  hanker  after  other  Things, 
and  go  away  from  God  to  feek  Reft  el  fe where,  and  thereby 
caft  infinite  Contempt  upon  the  Delight  of  Heaven  and  the 
Joy  of  A  ngcls,  the  evtr-blehcd  &  alfulFicient  God  !    Think 
of  the  pccuiiar  Obligations,  God  has  laid  you  under  by  all 
the  fecretWays  of  his  Providence  ^'  Grace  with  you,  6c  of 
all  the  infinitePains  he  has  taken  withyou  to  make  you  hum- 
ble, weaned  ixom  thcWorld,devoted  to  God,  loving, kind, ten- 
der-hearted,friendly  &  obliging  to  all  Mankind,and  univer- 
fai.ly  holy  ;  and  fee  and  fay,  Was  cverWretch  fo  vile  !  Did 
ever  Wretch  treat  fuch  a  God,  in  fuch  a  Manner,under  fuch 
Circumilauces  1    Oh,  how  far,  how  infinitely  far  you  are, 

from 


and  dijimguijljedfrom  all  Counterfeits.   233 

from  being  what  you  ought  to  be  !  This  made  St.  Paul 
account  himfelf  lefs  than  the  leaft  of  all  Saints^  and  forget  the 
Things  that  are  behind :  his  Attainments  dwindled  away, 
as  it  were  to  nothing,  when  he  compared  himfelf  with 
God's  holy  Law,  and  thought  what  he  ought  to  be,  and 
whatObligations  he  was  under  ^  and  he  did  therefore,  as  it 
were  {ct  down  all  that  he  had  hitherto  attained  for  nothing, 
ajid  feel  and  a6t  as  if  he  was  but  juft  now  beginning  to  live 
to  God.  Rom.  7.  14.  The  Law  is  fpiritual,  but  I  am  car- 
nal^ fold  under  Sin.  Ver.  24.  O  wretched  Man  that  I  am  ! 
Phil.  3.  13,14.  I  forget  the  Things  which  are  behind^  I  reach 
forth  towards  thofe  Things  which  are  before^  I prefs  towards 
the  Mark.     And,  O  Believer,  go  you,  and  do  hkewife. 

Befides,  remember,  that  it  is  no  Thanks  to  you  that  you 
are  not  to  this  Day  fecure  in  Sin  :     Yea,  that  you  are  not 
one  of  the  vileft  and  profaneil  Creatures  in  the  V'orld. 
Your  Nature  was  bad  enough  j  the  Seeds  of  every  Sin  were 
in  your  Heart ;  but  for  reilraining  or  fandlifying  Grace  you 
might  have  been  as  bad  as  any  in  Sodom.      And  what  was 
it  moved  God  to  awaken  youj  and  flop  you, in  your  Ca- 
reer in  Sin,  and  turn  you  to  God  }    Was  it  for  your  Righ- 
teoufnefs  }     Oh,  be  afhartied  arid  confounded  for  evJr  1  For 
his  own  Sake  he  has  done4tj-  when  you  was  a  ftubborn, 
ftitf-necked,  rebellious.Grea.ture.     Ancf  ti-uly,    what  has 
been  your  Carriage  towards  the  Lord,   compared  with  the 
exadl  Rule  of  Duty,  the  holy  Law  of  God,  fince  the  Day 
you  have  known  him  ?     O  remember  Maffah  and  Tabe- 
rah  and  Kibroth-hataavah^-^nd  how  jou  have  been  rebelli- 
ous againft  the  Lord,  ever  fince  he  has  taken  you  in  Hand 
to  fubdue  you  to  himfelf    (Read  Deut.  9.    and   fee  how 
much  yourTemper  has  been  like  theirs.)  And  this  notwith- 
ftanding  all  the  Signs  and  Wonders  God  has  wrought  be- 
fore your  Eyes  :  I  mean,  notwithflanding  all  the  fvveet  and 
awful  Methods  God  has  taken  with  you,    to  make  you 
know  him  and  love  him  and  fear  him  and  live  to  him. 
There  are  Thoufands  and  Thoufands  that  God  never  took 
any  fuch  fpecial  Pains  with.     Their  Sins  are  not  like  yours. 
Come  down  therefore,  fit  in  the  Duft,  mourn  and  weep, 
and  loath  and  abhor  your  felf,  as  long  as  you  live  j  and  af- 

cribe 


234        3^^^  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

cribc  all  Praifc  to  God,  thro'  whofe  Grace  alone  it  is,  that 
you  be  what  you  be. 

Let  me  here  addrefs  you  in  the  Words  of  the  famous  Mr. 
H(^oker.  "  That  thou  mayeft  for  ever,each  Day  that  pafTeth 
"  over  thy  Head,  remember  it  to  the  Lord,  and  leave  it 
"  upon  Record  in  thine  own  Connfcience  j  fay,  Hadft 
'*  thou  (blefied  Lord)  given  me  the  Defires  of  my  Heart, 
"  and  left  me  to  my  own  Will,  it  is  certain  I  had  been  in 
"  Hell  long  before  this  Day,  when  in  the  Days  of  my  Folly 
"  and  Times  of  my  Ignorance,  when  out  of  the  defperate 
**  Wrctchednefs  of  my  rebellious  Difpofition,  I  was  run- 
*'  ning  Riot  in  the  Ways  of  WickedneIs,/^/^^«  Ifaid  to  the 
*'  Seers^  fee  not^  and  to  the  Prophets^  prophefy  not^  to  Chrif- 
*'  tians,  to  Acquaintance,  to  Governours,  admonifh  not, 
*'  counfel  not,  reprove  not,  flop  me  not  in  the  purfuit  of 
**  Sin.  The  Time  was,  I  took  hold  of  Deceit  and  refufed  to 
"  return  •,  nay,  refolved  in  the  fecret  Purpofe  of  my  Heart, 
^  I  would  none  of  thee  j  I  would  not  have  that  Word  of 
"  thine  reveal  or  remove  my  Corruptions  •,  I  would  none 
**  of  thy  Grace  that  might  humble  me  and  purge  me,  none 
"  of  that  Mercy  of  thine  that  might  pardon  me,  none  of 
"  that  Redemption  of  thine  that  might  favc  me.  Hadil 
*'  thou  then  taken  me  at  my  Word,  and  given  me  what  I 
**  wifhed,  and  fealed  my  Deftrudlion,  faying.  Be  thou  for 
"  ever  filthy,  for  ever  ilubborn,  and  for  ever  miferable  ; 
"  thou  wouldeft  neither  be  holy  nor  happy,  thou  fhalt 
"  have  thy  Will,  Sin  with  Devils  and  take  thy  Portion 
"  with  Devils  •,  Lord,  it  had  been  juft  with  thee,  and  I 
^*  juflly  miferable.  But  to  bear  with  all  my  Bafenefs,  to 
"  put  up  all  thofe  Wrongs  and  Provocations,  to  ftrive 
**  with  me  for  my  Good,  wlien  I  took  up  Arms  againft 
**  thee,  and  flrove  againft  my  own  Good  •,  nay,  when  I  re- 
"  lifted  Mercy  •,  and  then  to  take  away  thatRefiftance,and 
**  to  caufe  me  to  take  Mercy,  and  make  it  mine,  when  I 
"  ufed  all  the  Skill  I  could  to  hinder  my  own  Salvation  : 
**  Oh !  The  Height,the  Depth,the  Length,  theBreadth  of 

"  this  Mercy  ! When  we  feel  our  Hearts  to  be  puffed 

**  up  with  the  vain  Apprehenfion  of  our  own  Worth,  Parts 
*'  or  Performances,  what  we  are,  and  what  we  do  •,  look 
"  we  back  to  our  firfl  Beginnings  and  judge  aright  of  our 

*^  own 


and  diJli7tgui/JDedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  235 

own  Wretchednefs  and  Nothingnefs,  yea,  worfc  than 
Nothing,  in  thit  we  not  only  wanted  all  Good,  but  we 
had  it  within  us  to  oppofe  allGood  •,  and  that  will  caufe 
us  to  fit  down  in  Silence  abafcd  for  ever.  When  empty 
Bladders  are  grown  unto  too  great  Bulk  and  Bignefs,  to 
prick  them  is  the  readieft  Way  to  lefTen  them  ;  when 
our  empty  and  vain  Minds  fwell  with  high  Thoughts, 
and  high  overv^^eening  Conceit  of  our  own  Worth,  learn 
we  to  ftab  and  pierce  our  Hearts   with  the  righteous 

'  Judgment  of  our  own  natural  Vilenefs,  which  will  (or 
at  leail  may)  let  out  that  frothy  Flaughtinefs  that  lifts 
us  up  beyond  our  Meafure  :  Tell  thy  Heart,  and  com* 

•  mune  v/ith  thy  Confcience,  and  fay,  It  is  not  my  good 
Nature,  that  I  am  not  roaring  amongft  the  Wretches  of 
the  World  in  the  Road  and  broad  Way  of  Ruin  and 
Deflrudlion,  that  I  am  not  wallowing  in  all  Manner  of 
Sin  with  the  word  of  Men.  It  is  not  my  good  Nature  5 
no  thank  to  any  Thing  that  I  have,  that  I  am  not  upon 
the  Chain  with  Malefadors,  or  in  a  Dungeon  with 
Witches  ;  for  whatever  Hell  hath,  it  is  in  this  Heart  of 
mine  naturally,  a  Cain  here,  a  Judas  here,  nay  a  Devil 
here.  The  Time  was  (  O  that  with  an  abafed  Heart  I 
may  ever  think  of  that  Time  )  I  never  looked  after  the 
fpiritual  Good  of  my  Soul,  or  whether  I  had  a  Soul  or 
no  ;  what  would  become  of  me  and  it,  was  the  leaft  of 
my  Care,  the  furtheft  End  of  my  Thoughts  •,  nay,  loth 
was  I  to  hear  of,  or  know  thefe  Things  *,  when  they 
were  revealed,  unwilling  to  receive  them,  or  give  Way 
to  them  when  they  were  offered  :  how  did  I  flop  mine 
Ears,  (hut  mine  Eyes,  and  harden  my  Heart  ?  What 
Ways,  Means,  and  Devices  did  I  ufe  and  invent,  to  Ihut 
out  the  Light  of  Truth,  to  flop  the  PafTage  and  Power 
of  the  Word,  that  it  might  not  convince  me,  that  it 
might  not  reform  me,  might  not  recall  me  from  my 
evil  Ways  ?  How  often  have  I  fccretly  wiihed,  that  ei- 
ther the  Word  were  taken  out  of  the  Place,  or  I  from  it, 
that  it  might  not  trouble  me  in  my  finful  Diflempers, 
and  when  I  had  leafl  Good  I  had  mofl  Eafe,  and  took 
^  the  greatefl  Content,     Oh  that  fueh  a  Wretch  fhould 

««  thus 


236 


True  Relmon  deliiteated       Dis.  L 


<!i 


"  thus  live,  and  yet  live  !  To  be  thus  fmful  !  O  that  I 
*'  might  be  for  ever  abafed  for  it.  *  " 

Thus  the  Law,  as  a  Rule  of  Life,  may  be  improved  to 
theHumiliation  of  the  People  of  God,  in  that  it  may  ferve  to 
keep  frefli  in  their  Minds,  their  native  univerfal  Depravity, 
their  former  Wickednefs,  and  to  difcover  their  remaining 
Sinfulnefs.  And  I  may  here  obferve,  that  it  is  Believers 
peculiar  Acquaintance  with  the  Law  in  it's  true  Meaning, 
Stridinefs  and  Purity,  that  is  the  Occafion  of  their  pecu- 
liar Acquaintance  with  their  own  Hearts.  And  while  the 
Law  daily  lliews  them  what  they  be,  it  learns  them  more 
and  more  their  Need  of  a  Redeemer  and  San6titier,  and 
daily  puts  them  upon  going  to  God  thro*  Jefus  Chrift  for 
pardoning  Mercy  and  fandtifyingGrace.  The  Law  makes 
Way  for  the  Gofpel  ;  and  a  Senfe  of  Sin,  Weaknefs  and 
Unworthinefs  makes  Cliriil  and  Gofpel-Grace  precious,and 
flirs  up  a  Man  to  Repentance,  Faith  &  Prayer.  Deluded 
therefore,  are  thofe  poor  Souls  that  fay,  "  We  mull  not 
"  look  into  our  PIcarts,  nor  labour  after  a  Scnfe  of  our 
*'  Sins  and  Sinfulnefs  \  for  that  is  legal,  and  tends  to  Dif- 
*^  couragement  :  but  we  muil  look  only  to  Chrift  and  free 
*•  Grace,  and  believe  and  rejoyce,.and  a  Senfe  of  the  Love 
*'  of  Chrift  will  humble  us."  Juft  as  if  the  great  Bufinefs 
of  Chrift  was,  to  ketp  Men  from  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of 
their  Sins  •,  and  juft  as  if  a  Man  could  be  truly  humbled, 
without  feeing  what  he  is,    compared   with  God  and  his 

holy  Law. But  poor  Souls,  they  feel  a  legal,  difcoura- 

ged  Frame  always,  when  they  have  any  Sight  and  Senfe  of 
their  Sinfulnefs,  and  it  damps  their  Faith  (and  if  they  were 
but  thoro'ly  fenfible  of  their  Sinfulnefs,  it  would  kill  their 
Faith)  and  Joy  ;  and  therefore  they  conclude,it  is  not  a  good 
Way  to  look  into  their  Hearts,  no  Good  can  be  got  by  it. 
But  when  they  don't  mind  their  Hearts,  but  look  fteadily 
to  Chrift  and  free  Grace,  (a  fancied  Chrift!)  firmly  believing 
that  all  he  has  done  and  fuffered  is  for  them,  and  realiz- 
ing the  Matter  to  themfelves,  now  they  feel  fweetly  and 
joyfully ;  and  therefore  conclude,  that  this  is  the  Way,  the 
only  Way,  to  get  Good  for  their  Souls  :  And  hence  grow 
mighty  Enemies  to  the  Law,  to  Self-Examination,  to  Senfg 

of 
*  Mr.HnQker's  Application  of  Redemption.  Vol.  I.  P»g.  97>*— *»op* 


and  dijiinguifhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  237 

of  Sin,  &c.  This  is  the  Door,  by  which  if  any  Man  enters 
in,  he  will  foon  become  an  Antinomian  and  an  Enthufiaft, 
But  to  proceed. 

USE  IV.  Of  Thankfuhtefs.  While  the  Law  (hews  us 
what  we  be,  it  does  at  the  fame  Time  make  us  fenfible  what 
we  deferve  ;  while  it  difcovers  to  us  our  Sinfulnefs,  it  makes 
usfeelourUnworthinefs  of  anyGood,arid  Defert  of  all  Evil  : 
and  while  we  feel  our  Unworthinefs  and  ill  Defcrts,  our 
Afflidions  appear  far  lefs  than  we  deferve,  and  our  Mercies 
appear  more  in  Num.ber  than  the  Sands,  and  the  Kindnefs 
and  Bounty  of  our  God  appears  exceeding  great,  and  we 
wonder  at  his  Goodnefs  and  blefs  his  holy  Name.  And  thus 
the  Law  is  of  Ufe  to  promote  Thankfulnefs. 

God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  in  Teflimony  of 
his  high  Difpleafure  againft  Mankind  for  their  Apoftacy 
from  him,  has  fpread  Miferies  and  Calamities  all  round  the 
Earth  :  from  the  King  upon  the  Throne,  to  the  Beggar  on 
the  Dunghil,  there  is  not  one,  but  has  a  greater  or  lefTer 
Share  in  the  Troubles  of  Life  \  and  many  have  their  Days 
filled  up  with  Sorrows.  And  now  Murmurings  arife  all 
roundthis  guilty World,and  the  general  Cry  is,  "  No  Body 
"  meets  with  fuch  Troubles  as  I  do,  I  am  very  hardly  dealt 
with."  But  theLav/  teaches  us,that  God  is  holy  in  all  thefe 
his  Ways,  and  righteous  in  all  thefe  his  Works  •,  and  that 
we  are  all  puniflied  far  lefs  than  we  deferve  ;  and  fo  our 
Complaints  are  rilenced,and  ourHearts  quieted  into  a  hum- 
ble Submiffion,  and  it  appears  infinitely  fit,  a  rebellious 
World  ihouid  be  full  of  Wo,  that  we  might  learn  that  it  is 
an  evil  and  bitter  Thing  to  forfake  the  Lord. 

But  at  the  fame  Time,  God  the  great  Lord  of  all,  out 
of  his  boundlefs  Goodnefs  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  reprievesMan- 
kind  from  the  threatmd  Ruin,  ftrews  common  Mercies  with 
a  liberal  Hand  all  round  the  Earth,  fends  Rain  and  fruit- 
ful  Seafons,  and  fills  the  Hearts  of  all,  more  or  lefs,  with 
Food  and  Gladnefs  ;  and  to  fome  he  grants  his  fpecial 
Gr.ice,  makes  them  his  Children,  and  intitles  them  to  eter- 
nal Life.  And  thus  he  is  the  Sazioiir  of  all  Men^  but  efpe- 
daily  of  thofe  that  believe,  i  Tim.  4.  lo.  Yet  this  Goodnefs 
of  God  is  but  little  taken  Notice  of  in  the  World.  But  the 
Law,  while  it  difcovers  what  we  be,  and  how  unworthy  and 

Hell- 


238  True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  L 

Hey-deferving  we  are,  makes  us  fenfibie  of  the  Freenefs 
and  Riches  ot  Gcd's  Grace  in  thele  his  Kindnelles.  For 
while  we  feel  that  Hell  is  our  proper  Due,  everything  that 
senders  our  CaC:  better  than  that  of  the  Damned,  we  fhall 
accept  as  a  choice Mercy,and  as  an  £hec:t  of  freeGrace  ♦,  and 
fo  inftead  of  being  always  in  a  iFiUrmuring  and  repining 
Difpofition,  we  fnail  be  always  wondering  at  theGoodnefs, 
admiring  at  the  Kindnefs  of  the  Lord  j  faying  with  good 
Jacobs  We  are  not  is:  or  thy  oftheleaft  of  all  the  Mercies^  am 
of  all  the  Truths  "j^hich  thou  hafi  fheived  unto  thy  Servants. 
Gen.  32.  10.  And  with  the  J^-;^//^  Church,  O give  'Thanks 
unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  Good,  for  his  Me)  cy  endurethfor  ever. 
Pfal.  136.  And  we  fliall  alv/ays  find,  that  the  more  fenfi- 
bie we  be  of  our  Unworthinefs  and  ill  Defert,  the  more 
Caufe  we  fhall  fee  for  Thankfulnefs,  let  our  outward  Cir- 
cumflances  in  this  Life  be  what  they  will. 
But, 

USE  V.  In  the  lafl  Place,  Let  all  that  has  been  faid  be 
improved  by  Way  of  Exhortation,  to  excite  and  engage  the 
Eeople  of  God,  mere  and  more  to  renounce  ihemfelves,  thelVorld 
end  Sin,  and  give  up  themfelves  to  God,  to  love  him  and  live 
to  him  and  delight  in  him  with  all  their  Hearts  for  ever. 

You  have  feen  what  Grounds  you  have  to  do  fo,  arifing 
from  God's  infinite  Greatnefs,  Glory  and  Excellency  *,  and 
you  have  been  viewing  your  fuperadded  Obligations  :  And 
is  the  Lord  fuch  a  God,  and  is  he  your  God  and  Redeemer, 
O  how  flrongly  are  you  bound  to  keep  all  his  Command- 
ments !  And  what  is  it,  O  Believer,  that  the  Lord  thy  God 
requireth  of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk 
in  all  his  Ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  ferve  die  Lord  thy 
God  with  all  thy  Fleart  and  with  all  thySoul  ?  And  is  there 
not  in  keeping  his  Commands  a  great  Reward  ?  Did  you 
ever  Tafle  fuch  Sweetnefs,  as  in  a  Life  of  Devotednefs  to 
God  !  And  have  not  your  Wandrings  from  him  colt  you 
many  a  bitter  and  mournful  Hour  ?  O,  how  happy  would 
you  be,  if  once  you  could  come  to  it,  to  have  done  with 
every  Thing  elfe  and  to  be  wholly  the  Lord's  !  Serioudy 
confider  thefe  Things  -, 

1 .  That  you  can  come  to  it,  to  have  done  with  every  Thing 
clfe^  and  he  wholly  ths  Lord'S:,  at  leafl  in  a  vaflly  greater  De- 
gree 


and  dijlinguijhedfrofn  all  Counterfeits.  239 

grte^thm  ever  yet  you  have.  Sec  ThiL  3.  13,  14.  You  aftually 
already  have  God  working  in  you  to  will  and  to  do,  PM,2. 1 3. 
He  has  always  been,  as  it  were,  labouring  to  humble  you, 
and  wean  you  from  the  World,  and  bring  you  neater  to 
himfelf,  to  love  him,  live  to  him,  and  delight  in  him,  ^vcr 
fince  the  Day  you  firft  came  to  know  him,  by  the  outward 
Difpenfations  of  his  Providence,  and  by  the  inward  Striv- 
ings of  his  Spirit.  He  has  always  been  purging  you,  thai 
you  might  bring  forth  more  Fruit.  J  oh.  15.  2.  Yea,  this  was 
the  very  Defign  of  Chrift's  coming  into  the  World,  that  he 
vtight  deliver  you  out  of  the  Hands  of  all  your  Enemies,  and 
bring  you  to  ferveGod,  without  Fear,  in  Holinefs  andRighte- 
oufnefs,  all  the  Days  of  your  Life.  Luk.  i.  74.  And  that  he 
might  redeem  you  from-  all  Iniquity,  and  pu^rify  you  to  himfelf y 
that  you  might  he  peculiarly  his^  and  zealous  of  good  JVorks^ 
Tit.  2.  14.  And  for  this  End,  God  has  already  taken,  as  k 
were,  infinite  Pains  v/ith  you,  and  this  is  what  he  is  conti* 
jiually  urging  you  unto,  and  he  declares  that  he  is  readier 
to  give  you  his  holy  Spirit,  than  earthly  Parents  are  to  give 
Bread  to  their  Children,  and  invites  and  encourages  and 
commands  you  to  ajlz.  Matt.  7.  7.  &c.  And  will  you  not 
now  therefore  arife  and  put  on  the  whole  Armour  of  God, 
and  make  your  flrongeft  Efforts  to  recover  from  Sin  to 
God  ? 

,  God  the  great  King  of  Heaven  and  Earth  commands 
you  to  do  fo  ',  Jefus  the  kind  Mediator  invites  you  to  do 
fo  ;  and  the  holy  Spirit  the  SandliRer  is  ready  to  help  you. 
Arife  therefore,  and  be  of  good  Courage,  for  the  Lord  is 
with  you.  Did  you  ever  ftir  up  your  felf  to  feek  after  God 
in  vain,  or  fet  about  a  Life  of  greater  Serioufnefs,  Watch- 
fulnefs  and  Prayer,  and  find  no  Advantage  by  it  ?  Or  have 
you  not  always  faid  in  the  Conciufion,  that  it  is  good  for  tue 
to  draw  near  to  Gcd  ;  (Pfal.  73.  28.)  And  condemned  and 
hated  your  felf  for  your  former  Slacknefs,  and  been  ready  to 
refolve  from  your  in moft  Soul,  that  you  would  call  upon  the 
Lord  as  long  as  you  live  ?    Pfal.  116,2. 

And  let  me  put  it  to  your  Confcience,  do  not  you  be- 
lieve, that  if  now  you  would  gird  up  the  Loyns  of  your 
Mind,  and  quit  your  felf  like  a  Man,  and  he  ftrong,  that 
thro'  Chriff  Jirengihning  of  you,  you  may  do  all  Things  ?  And 

Hiali 


2 4o\         True  Religion  deli/ieated       Di s .  I. 

fhall  tarelefnefs  or  Stupidity,  fiiall  Lazincfs  &  Sloth,  l>iall 
the  Allurements  or  the  DilcouraQcments  of  the  \\  orld  or 
the  Devil,  now  after  all,  hinder  you  ?  \\  hat  !  When  you 
have  been  redeemed,  not  li'Uh  Siher  avd  Qcld^  hut  ivuh  the 
pre:ious  B^cod  of  the  Son  of  Ggd,  when  your  rrifcn-Door  is 
flung  open,  and  your  Chains  knocked  oif,  and  you  called 
and  invited  to  come  out  into  the  glcrious  Liberty  of  theChtl- 
dren  cf  Gcd,  and  when  God  is  actually  ftriving  with  you 
already,  and  ftands  ready  to  afford  you  faither  Help,  what 
now  be  hindered  !  What !  And  be  hindered  byCareiefnefs, 
Unwatchfulnefs,  &c  !  What,  Ihall  the  Saviour  groan  in 
the  Garden,  and  die  on  the  Crofs,  and  yet  you  lie  deeping 
here  !  What,  aflecp  !  Wliat,  content  without  God  in  the 
World  !  What,  when  the  wholeArmy  ot  Prophets, Apoftles 
and  Martyrs  have  faded  and  prayed  all  their  Days,  and 
waded  thro'  a  Sea  of  Bleed  at  lall  !  Mcthinks,  you  had 
better  abandon  every  mortal  Delight,  lay  afuie  every  Weight 
and  the  Sin  that  more  eafily  hefets  ycu^  and  mourn  and  weep, 
and  watch  and  pray,  and  fight  and  ftrive,  as  long  as  you 
live,  rhan  a6l  fo  far  beneath  the  Dignity  and  Character  of  a 
Chriftian. 

It  is  but  a  few  in  the  World,  that  truly  know  God  and  the 
W^ay  of  Accefs  to  him  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  are  in  a 
(fpirituay  Capacity  to  live  a  Life  of  Devotednefs  to  God 
and  Communion  with  him  :  moft  Men  are  dead  in  Sin, 
But  you  hath  he  quickened,  and  you  are  his  F/orkmanfkip, 
created  in  Chrift  Jefus  unto  good  Works  \  and  it  is  God's  De- 
fign  you  fhould  walk  in  them  :  you  that  were  without 
Chrift  and  without  God  in  the  W  orld,  afar  off,  are  now 
brought  nigh  j  and  you  are  no  more  Strangers  and  Fo- 
reigners, but  Fellow-Citizens  with  the  Saints  and  cf  the 
Houfhold  of  God :  for  this  Caufe  I  therefore  befeech  you, 
walk  worthy  of  the  Vocation  wherewith  ycu  are  called.  See 
this  Argument  enlarged  upon  in  the  2d,  3d  &  4th  Chapters 
of  the  Epiftle  to  the  Ephejians,  and  your  Duties,  flill  more 
particularly  delineated  in  the  5th  &  6th. 

2.  Confider,  That  as  your  Cafe  is  circuwftanccd,  it  is  ah- 
folutely  impcffble  for  you  ever  to  find  ary  other  refiing  Place 
hutGcd,  or  ever  take  any  fati  fying  Comfort  of y cur  Life,but  in 
n  Way  of  Devotednefs  to  God  l^  Communion  wtth  him.     The 

Cafe 


nnd  difiinguijhed fro7n  all  Co7interfeits.  241 

Cafe  is  not  with  you,  O  Believer,  as  it  is  with  other  Men. 
Tou  only  have  I  kncu  n  cf  all thcFamilies cf  theEarth\  iherejae 
ivill  I  punijh  ycu  for  ally  our  Iniquities^  laidGod  to  his  ancient 
People.  Mic.  3.  2.  Butthe  otherNations  of  theEarth  might 
worlhip  Idols  and  ferve  Wood  and  Stone,  and  go  on  and 
prorpcr,withoi]t  being  called  to  a  prefent  Account.  And  fo 
it  is  as  to  particuiarPeribns.  Baftards,  who  have  no  Parents 
to  own  them  and  bring  them  up,  may,  as  for  any  Refhrain's 
Irom  parental  Authonty,do  what  they  will.  They  that  don^t 
belong  to  God's  Family,  may  live  trom  Home  as  long  as 
they  pleafe,  and  becaufc  they  have  no  Interett  in  hisHoufe, 
may,  in  Refpeft  of  divine  Per  million,  go  and  live  where 
they  pleafe,  may  continue  to  he  out  from  God  :  But  whom 
the  Lord  bveth^  he  chaftneth  ;  and  fcourgeth  every  Son  whom 
he  receiveth.  Heb.  12.  6.  Flypocrites  may  lofe  their  Religi- 
on, and  lie  dead  whole  Months  and  Years  together,  and  re- 
turn with  the  Dog  to  his  Vomit,  and  take  as  much  Com- 
fort in  the  World  and  their  Luils  as  ever  :  But  it  is  im- 
pofTible  that  you  fhould  :  You  can  never  get  your  Confci- 
ei>ce  afleep  as  other  Men's  are,  or  your  Heart  content  to  lie 
out  from  God,  or  wring  your  feif  out  of  your  Father's 
Hand,  or  get  out  of  the  Reach  of  his  Rod. 

Solomon  once  feenr/d  refolved  to  find  another  refting  Place 
for  his  Heart  befides  God,  and  fomething  elfe  to  takeCom- 
fort  in,  and  he  was  under  the  befl  outward  Advantages  to 
make  a  thoro'  Trial, that  ever  Man  was  ;  but  he  never  did, 
and  never  could  :  But  was  always  like  a  Bone  out  of  Joint, 
or  like  the  Needle  of  a  Compafs  turned  afide  from  its  bc- 
lovedStar.  Vanity  cf  Vanities.,  fays  thePreachcr,  all  isVanity 
and  Vexation  of  Spirit,  And  poor  David ^how  was  he  pain- 
ed with  Anguifh  of  Spirit,  for  theSin  whereby  he  provoked 
the  Lord  ?  Plal.  32.3,  &c.  fVhile  I  kept  Silence  ( i.  e.  be- 
fore Nathan  came,  who  brought  me  to  an  openConfcflions 
fee  :j^.  5.)  my  Bones  waxed  old\  thro'  my  roaring  all  the  Day 
long.  For  Day  and  Night  thy  Hand  was  heavy  upon  me  : 
My  Moiflure  is  turned  into  the  Drought  of  Sum?ncr.  And 
never  did  a  Believer  depart  from  God  to  feek  another  reft- 
ing Place,  or  go  away  from  the  Fountain  of  living  Waters, 
to  get  fomething  elfe  to  take  Comfort  in  -,  but  God  hedged 
up  his  Way  with  Thorns^  and  mad^  a  Wall  that  he  could  not 

R  find 


242  True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  L 

find  his  "Paths  :  So  that  altho'  he  followed  after  his  LoverSy 
he  never  overtook  them,  and  tho'  he  fought  them,  he  never 
found  them  :  But  at  laft  has  been  conllraincd  to  fay,  I  will 
go  and  return  to  my  firft  Hujhand  ;  for  then  ivas  it  better  with 
me  than  now.  Hof.  2.  6,  7.  His  Backflidings  have  reproved 
him^znd  his  JVtckednefs  has  corrected  i?i;;/,and  made  him  kncw^ 
to  the  breaking  of  hisHeart,  that  it  is  an  evil  a7idhitter1hing 
to  forfake  the  Lord.  Jer.  2.  19.  For  as  God  thus  dealt  with 
the  Jewifh  Church  of  old,  fo  he  does  with  every  BeUever  ; 
for  all  God's  Dealings  with  them  were  for  Enfamples  :  And 
they  are  written  for  our  Admonition,  upon  whom  the  Ends  of 
the  World  are  come,   i  Cor  10.  11. 

And  this  now  being  the  Cafe,  O  Believer,  and  you  hav- 
ing always  by  your  own  Experience  found  it  fo,  v/ill  you 
notwithftanding  forfake  the  Lord  ?  What  Fault,  What  Ini- 
quity do  you  find  in  God,  that  you  lliould  forfake  him  ?  Has 
he  been  a  Wildernefs  unto  you,  or  a  Land  of  Darknefs  ?  Or 
has  he  not  been  your  Father,  ever  fince  the  Day  he  took 
you  by  the  Hand  to  lead  you,  even  ever  fincc  the  Day  you 
firft  knew  him  ?  Or  be  you  weary  of  Lightfome,  of  fweet 
and  happy  Days,  and  impatient  to  plunge  your  felf  into 
Darknefs,  Diftrefs  and  Anguifh  ?  May  you  not  cxped, 
if  you  forfake  him  and  go  away  from  him,  to  feek  another 
refling  Place,  and  fomething  elle  to  take  Comfort  in  as  your 
Portion,  that  he  will  firip  you  naked  as  in  the  Day  that  you 
was  horn,  and  make  you  defolate,  and  a  Terror  to  your  felf, 
and  that  his  Anger  will  fmoke  againft  you,  and  his  Hand 
lie  heavy  upon  you  ?  And  then  will  you  mourn  like  theDove 
in  the  Valley,  and  he  troubled,  a?idgo  bowed  dczvn  greatly,  and 
Tore  by  Reafon  of  the  Difquietnefs  of  your  Heart,  and  wifh.  a 
Thoufand  and  Thoufand  Times  that  you  had  never  for- 
fakenthe  Lord.  Read  Pfal.  38.  Jer.  2d. and  3d  Chapters. 
and  Hof  2.  Will  you  not  therefore  bid  Adieu  to  all  other 
Lords  and  Levers,  and  cleave  unto  the  Lord  with  all  your 
Heart  for  ever  ?  tor  this  is  your  Wifdom,  and  this  is  your 
Life.  Which  brings  me  to  add, 

3.  Confider,  If  you  will  have  done  with  everyThing 'elfe, 

and  give  up  your  felf  to  the  Lord,  to  ic\Q  him  and  live  to 

him  and>5e  v/holly  his,  then  God  will  be  your  God  fenfibly, and 

you  ziHl,  z>;  fpiritml  Refpecfs^  be  one  of  the  happieft  Creatures 

'"      •  in 


and dijlinguifhed from  all  Counterfeits.   243 

in  this  PForld  \  a  hundred  Times  happier  than  you  could 
poffibly  be  in  the  Ways  of  Sin  ♦,  you  poall  have  an  Hundred 
Fold  in  this  prefent  Wcrld^  befides  eternal  Life  in  the  World  to 
come.  If  any  Man  love  me^  fays  Chriil,  and  keep  my  Com- 
mandments J  will  love  him  and  manifejl  my  f elf  unto  him:  And 
/  and  my  Father  will  come  and  make  our  Abode  with  him,  Joh. 
14.  21,  23.  He  that  dzveHeth  in  the  fecret  Place  of  the  mcft 
High  ^f hall  abide  under  the  Shadow  of  the  Almighty.  Pfal.  91.1. 
And  God  will  be  your  Dwelling-Place  for  ever.  Pfal.  90.  i'^ 
While  the  Nations  daih  thenifelves  in  Pieces,  and  all  the 
World  is  in  Confufion,  and  while  you  pafs  thro'  the  Fire 
and  thro',  the  Water,  God  will  be  with  you  •,  and  he  will 
always  beyoiirLight,Life,Peace5joy,Glory  &Bleirednefs,  in 
this  undone,dreadrul World  -,  &  yourH^art  will  be  firm  and 
fixed  \\k.t  Mount  Zioji^  that  cannot  heremoved^but  abideth  for 
■tver  \  &  nothing  fhall  tvcx  feparate  you  from  theLove.  ofGou^ 
neither  likings  prefent^  yior  things  to  come^  nor  Heigth^  nor 
Depths  nor  Life^  nor  Deaths  nor  any  other  Thing.  AndGod 
will  certainly  give  you  every  Thing  in  this  World  that  is 
bell  for  you  and  moil  for  his  Glory,and  you  will  not  defire 
any  more  i  and  all  the  evil  Things,  you  may  pafs  thro', 
will  fcnfibly  work  together  for  your  Good.  Matt.  6.  ^^, 
Rom^  8.  28, — Q,^.  Pfal  y^.  25,  26. 

And  thus,  you  have,  by  Experience,  always  found,  that 
God  has  dealt  with  you.  I  appeal,  O  Believer,  to  your 
own  Confcience,  that  thus  it  has  always  been,  whenever  you 
have  fenfibly  from  the  Heart  renounced  all  other  Things, 
and  given  up  your  feii  to  the  Lord,  to  love  him  and  to  live 
to  him  and  to  take  Content  in  him,  God  has  fenfibly  been 
a  God  and  Father  and  Portion  unto  you,  and  has  given  you 
all  Things,  which  (every  Thing  confidered)  you  could  de- 
fire,  and  fenfibly  made  all  Things  work  together  for  your 
Good  •,  whence  you  have  been  many  a  Time  ready  to  fay, 
'That  not  a  Word  of  all  his  Promifes  has  ever  fallen  to  the 
Ground.  And  you  have  adlually  enjoyed  a  hundred  Times 
m.oreComfort  in  the  Service  of  God,  in  Devotednefs  toGod 
and  Communion  with  him,  than  could  have  been  had  in 

the  Sei-vice  of  Sin, And  will  you  not  now  therefore  be 

intirely  and  for  ever  the  Lord's  ?  O  how  happy  you  might 
be  !  And  what  blelTed  Days  you  might  enjoy  I 

R  2  4.  And 


:244         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

,  4.  And  that  which  can't  but  touch  a  fihal  Heart,  con- 
fider,  That  if  you  will  thus  be  wholly  theLord's,to  love  him 
and  live  to  him  and  delight  in  him  and  to  do  his  Will, 
God  will  he  glorified  thereby^  it  will  he  to  his  Honour  in  the 
World.  Joh.  15.  8.  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified^  that  ye  hear 
muchFruit, — But  ye  are  a  chofenGeneration^a  royal  Priejlhood^ 
a  holy  Nation^  a  peculiar  People  •,  that  ye  Jhoiild  ftoew  forth 
the  Praifes  of  him^  who  hath  called  you  out  of  Darknefs  into 
his  marvellous  Light,  i  Pet. 2.9.  God  has  but  a  few  Friends 
in  the  World.  Many  that  pretend  to  be  his  Friends,  are  a 
great  difhonour  to  him  and  difgrace  to  Religion.  By  their 
Means  his  Name  is  blafphemed,  and  his  Ways  are  evilly 
fpoken  of.  And  in  general,  his  Honour  is  every  where 
trodden  down  in  the  Duft.  And  can  you  (land  by  uncon- 
cerned ?  Yea,  can  you  look  on  without  your  Heart  bleeding 
within  you  ?  O  therefore,  be  ferious,  be  humble,  be  meek, 
holy  and  heavenly,  be  Peace- makers  and  merciful,  be  kind 
and  tender-heartedjCondefcending  and  obliging,  and  abound 
in  every  good  Work ;  for  you  are  the  Salt  of  the  Earthy 
and  the  Light  of  the  World :  O  therefore  live  fo,  as  that  your 
Father  ^which  is  in  Heaven^^may  he  glorified.  Mat.  5.13 — 16. 

To  conclude,  Will  you  not  now  therefore  determine,from 
this  Day  forward,  to  be  wholly  the  Lord's,  and  from  this 
Day  begin  to  live  to  God  in  better  earneft  than  ever  ?  God 
is  ready  to  help  you.  You  will,  as  to  prefent  Comfort,  be 
undone,  if  you  do  not  live  to  God  j  and  Peace  and  Glory 
and  Bleflednefs  is  before  you,  if  you  do  •,  and  God,  even 
-  ,your  God,  will  be  glorified.  And  if  you  are  now  ready,  by 
the  Grace  of  God,  to  hearken  unto  this  Advice,  then  take 
thcfe  two  Diredlions. 

I .  Lay  afide  every  Weight.,  and  the  Sins  which  more  eajily 

tefet you.  Heb.  12.  i.  In  a  ferious  and  fweet  Hour,  when 

'*yoLi  get  alone  and  mourn  and  pray  and  give  up  your  felf  to 

■'  God,  and  think  and  refolve  you  will  now  be  for  ever  the 

Lord's,  you  are  wont,  uponSelf-Examination  and  a  Review 

^  ;^*Qf  paft  Times,  to  fee  and  fay,   "  This,  that,  and  the  other 

^-v^^*'  Thing,  has  been  the  finful  Occafion,  Time  after  Time, 

')^^\  of  my  lofing  a  ferious  gracious  Frame  of  Heart,  and  by 

Kn.**  fuch  and  fuch  finful  Means  I  have  gradually  loft  a  Senfe 

*«  of  divine  and  etcrnalThiiigs,  and  fo  hav€  wandered  from 

"  God 


^  and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  2  45 

*'  God,  and  iaid  a  Foundation  for  Darknefs  and  Sorrow. 
"  O  my  Carelelhefs  !  O  that  I  had  prayed  more  in  fecret  ! 
"  O  that  1  had  Ipent  precious  Time  better,  ^c.  ^^ ."  Thefe 
now  are  the  Weights,  and  thefe  the  Sins,  which  eafily  befet 
you,  and  thefe  you  muft  lay  afide  for  ever,  if  you  defign 
to  be  the  Lord's  indeed,  and  to  make  a  Bufmefs  of  ReUgion 
to  Purpofe.  But  perhaps  you  will  fay,  "  My  worldly  Bu- 
"  finefs,  my  neceflary  Cares,  and  the  common  Duties  of 
*'  Life,  are  fometimes  the  very  Things,  and  thefe  I  ought 
"  not  to  lay  afide,   and  what  fhall  1  do  in  this  Cafe  ?" 
1  anfwer^  That  at  another  Time,  the  neceiraryCares,Bufmefs 
and  Duties  of  Life,  you  find  to  be  no  Hindrances  at  all  ; 
even  at  fuch  Times  when  you  do  all  out  of  Love  to  God 
and  for  God,with  Singlenefs  of  Heart.     If  you  will  there- 
fore but  always  go  about  the  common  Duties  of  Life  in 
fuch  a  Manner,  they  will  never  be  any  Clog  to  you.  What 
you  have  therefore  to  do  in  the  Cafe,  is  not  to  lay  afide  that 
which  is  your  Duty,  but  to  lay  afide  your  wrong  Ends  and 
Aims.  And  thus  you  mufl  lay  afide  every  Weight. — But, 
2.  If  you  defign  to  be  religious  in  good  earned,  then  be 
careful  to  ufe  all  proper  Means ^  and  do  every  proper  Tbing^ 
that  has  a  tendency  to  promote  your  fpiritual  Life.    Every 
proper  Thing  I  fay,  to  guard  againft  thofe  anti-fcriptural 
Methods   which   Enthufiafts   are   wont  to  take,  and  by 
which,  above  allThings,  their  falfeAfFedions  are  promoted, 
but  which  have  a  dired  Tendency  to  kill  the  divine  Life. 
In  a  ferious  Hour  of  fweet  Retirement,  and  in  happy  Days 
when  you  are  neareft  to  God,  and  enjoy  moft  Communion 
with  him,  and  have  your  Senfes  moil  accurate  to  difcern 
between  Good  and  Evil,    you  arc  wont  to  fee  and  fay, 
''  O  how  bleffed  I  might  be,  if  I  did  always  keep  in  this 
"  narrow  Way,  which  now  lies  open  plain  before  me  ;  if  I 
"  were  always  ferious,  watchful,  prayerful,  always  reading, 
"  or  meditating,andlooking  to  God,and  keeping  myHeart, 
"  and  improving  every  precious  Moment  of  my  Time  wife- 
"  ly  for  God,"  ^c.  Well, well,  O  Believer,this  is  the  W' ay, 
walk  in  it  \  and  you  fhall  he  like  a  'Tree  planted  by  iheRivers 
cf  Water ^  that  bringeth  forth  his  Fruit  in  his  Seafon^  whofe 
Leaf  never  withers^   and  whatfoever   you   do  floall  profper. 
And  after  a  few  more  Days  and  Weeks  and  Months  and 

R  Yeais 


246         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I. 

Years  fpent  in  Prayer  and  Faith  and  Holinefs,  in  this 
your  Pilgrimage-State,  you  fhall  come  and  fit  down  with 
Abraham^  Ifaac  and  Jacob,  in  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and 
dwell  ior  ever  with  the  Lord.  Amen. 

New  the  God  of  Pecue^  that  brought  again  from  the  Bead 
cur  Lord  Jefus^  that  great  Shepherd  of  the  Sheep,  thro^  the 
Blood  of  the  everlafting  Covenant^  711  ake  you  perfe^  in  every 
good  H'^orky  to  do  his  fVill,  working  in  ycu  that  which  is  well 
pleafing  in  his  Sight.,  thro"  Jefus  Chrijl :  to  whom  be  glory 
for  ever  and  ever,    AMEN. 


^;,^^^^t:^J^-fM^ 


True 


(    247    ) 


^^ijji  iFj  ^  <)K»  t¥j  t)i(»  i^  i)j^  <)i^  »)i^ 

^rtie  Religion  delineated. 

DISCOURSE     IL 

Shewing  the  Nature  of  the  Gospel,  and  of 
a  genuine  Compliance  with  it. 

J  OH.  III.  i6. 
For  GOD  fo  loved  the  Worlds  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son^  that  whofoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him^  fhould  not  perijh^   but  have 
everlajiing  Life. 

The  Introduction. 

^|^?!;^ill^HE  grand  Queftion  before  us,is,  V/bat  is  true 
?i§!i^^^  Religion  ?  And  this  is  the  general  Aniwer, 
T  |^|!j§  //  confifls  in  a  real  Conformity  to  the  Law^  afid 
]§^^  in  a  genuine  Compliance  "joith  theGofpel.  What 
l^i§  is  implied  in  a  real  Conformity  to  the  La-w^ 
has  been  already  fhewn  in  the  former  Dif- 
courfe  :  and  we  come  now  to  confider  wherein  a  genuine 
Compliance  with  the  Gofpel  does  confifl.  From  our  Savi- 
our's Mouth  we  had  before  a  brief  Summary  of  the  Law  ; 
and  now  from  our  Saviour's  Mouth  we  have  a  brief  Sum- 
mary of  the  Gofpel,  in  thefe  comprehenfive  Words,  Godfo 
loved  the  Worlds  &c, 
'    '         ~'         ' "  R4  I^icodmus 


248         True  Religion  delineated     '    Dis.  L 

;*  Nicodemus  came  to  him  for  Inftfu6tion,  believing  him  to 
^Jdc  a  Teacher  lent  from  God.  Our  Saviour  begins  imme- 
^iliateiy  to  inculcate  upon  him,  the  Neceflity  of  Regenera- 
riion  and  Faith.  We  are  Sinners,  are  naturally  dead  in  Sin  ; 
v^nd  therefore  mufl  be  born  again,  be  recovered  to  the  di- 
..vine  Image  in  .the  Temper  of  our  Minds,  and  fo  be  made 
;  fpiritually  alive.  We  are  guilty,  we  need  pardoningMercy 
a:  the  Hands  ot  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  ;  but 
he  will  grant  it  only  thro'  the  Mediator  he  has  appointed : 
Jn  him  therefore  mud  we  believe,  onhisMerits  and  Media- 

^tion  mull  we  depend. Nicodemus  could  hardJy  under- 

^,iland  the  Do6trine  of  the  new  Birth  j  and  our  Saviour  inti- 
;  mates  that  the  Myfteries  of  our  Redemption  by  the  Blood 
•  of  Chrilt,  were  like  to  be  ilill  more  difficult  to  him.  We 
can  eafily  underfland  worldlyThings,  for  they  are  agreeable 
to  the  Temper  of  our  Minds,  and  fuit  the  Guft  and  Relifh 
of  our  Hearts  :  but  we  are  blind  to  Things  fpiritual  and 
divine,  are  flow  of  Heart  to  underftand  them,  they  not 
fuiting  the  Temper  and  Relilh  of  our  Hearts,  and  we  be- 
ing in  a  Difpofition  to  difrelifh  Things  of  fuch  a  Nature. 
Therefore  our  Saviour  obferves  to  Nicodemus^  ver.  19.  ^his 
is  the  Condemnation^  that  Light  is  come  into  the  World,  kit 
Men  love  Darknefs  rather  than  Light,  becaufe  their  Deeds  are 
E"jil.  We  are  in  a  State  of  Rebellion,  at  Enmity  againft 
God,  and  under  his  Wrath  \  and  yet  ready  thro*  our  Dark- 
nefs to  flatter  our  feives  that  all  is  well ;  and  fo  are  fecure 
and  atEafe  :  Light  is  come  into  the  World, difcovering  our 
Difeafe  and  our  Pvcmedy,  but  we  love  our  Difeale,  &  loath 
the  Remedy  j  and  therefore  hate  the  Light  and  will  not 
come  to  it.  And  thus  our  Saviour  tt^LchtsNicodemus  where- 
in true  Religion  confiflis,  and  p>oints  out  the  Averflon  of 
Mankind  unto  it.  Nor  is  there  any  Thing  that  will  difco- 
ver  our  Averflon  fo  plainly,  as  to  let  true  Religion  in  it's 
own  Light  -,  for  when  we  fee  clearly  what  it  is,  we  may 
perceive  hnw  we  fl:and  affe6ted  towards  it  :  but  otherwifc 
\vc  may  be  eafily  mifl;aken  •,  may  imagine  that  we  love  true 
Rt'ligion,  when  indeed  we  only  love  the  faUe  Image  wc 
have  framed  in  our  own  Fancy. —  Regeneration}  and  Faith, 
thcfe  two  great  EiTentials,  wherein  all  Religion  radically 
i^^»qI:-^^    :^re  ihc  Things  cu'  Sayiour   incukaces  upon  his 

new 


and  dijlin^uijhed from  alt  Counterfeits.  249 

new  Difciple.  Chrift  loved  to  lay  the  Foundation  well. 
He  was  not  fond  of  Converts,  unlefs  their  Convcrfion  was 
found.  And  indeed,  all  our  Religion  is  good  for  nothing, 
if  our  Nature  be  not  renewed  •,  and  all  our  Communion 
with  God  is  but  Fancy,  if  we  are  Strangers  to  Chrift  •,  for 
he  is  the  IVay^  the  Truth  mi  the  Life^  and  no  Man  comes 

to  the  Father  but  by  him. But  to  proceed  to  the  Words 

of  the  Text,  God  fo  loved  the  Worlds  dec. 

QQj) — i.e.  God  the  Father,  the  firft  Perfon  in  the  ever- 
bleffed  Trinity,  who  faftains  the  Dignity  and  Majefty  of 
God-head,  and  is  eminently  Lord  of  Heaven  and  Earth, 
{Mat.  11.25.;  and  prime  Agent  in  the  Works  of  Creation 
and  Providence,  in  governing  the  World,  in  redeeming, 
fandifying  and  laving  of  Sinners.  Rom,  1 1.36. — That  there 
are  three  Perfons  in  the  God-head,  the  Father,  the  Son,and 
theHoly  Ghoft,  and  that  thefe  Three  are  one  God,theScrip- 
tures  do  abundantly  teach.  {Mat.  28.  19.  2  Cor.  13.  13. 
I  Joh.  ^.y.)  And  this  Dodrine  v/e  muft  believe,  or  we 

cannot  underftand  the  Gofpel. How  they  are  T'ijr^^jand 

how  they  are  One.,  is  not  revealed,  nor  is  it  neccflary  for 
us  to  know  :  but  that  there  are  three  Perfons  in  the  God- 
head and  yet  but  one  God,  we  muft  believe  \  and  what 
Charadiers  they  fuftain,  and  what  Parts  they  ad  in  the 
Affair  of  our  Salvation,  we  muft  underftand.  —  The 
Gofpel  reprefents  God  the  Father,  as  fovereign  Lord  of 
Heaven  and  Earth,  as  righteous  Governour  of  the  World, 
as  giving  Laws  to  his  Creatures,  as  revealing  his  Wrath  a- 
gainft  all  TranfgreiTions  :  He  is  reprefented  as  being  in- 
jured and  offended  by  our  Sins,  and  concerned  to  maintain 
the  Honour  of  his  Majefty,  of  his  Law  and  Government 
and  facred  Authority  :  He  is  reprefented  as  having  Defigns 
of  Mercy  towards  a  finful,  guilty,  ruined  World  •,  and  as 
contriving  and  propofmg  a  Method  of  Recovery  :  He  is 
reprefented  as  one  feated  on  a  Throne  of  Grace,  reconcila- 
ble thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  feeking  to  reconcile  the  World 
to  himfelf  by  Chrift,  ordering  Pardon  and  Peace  to  be  pro- 
claimed thro*  a  guilty  World  to  any  and  all  who  will  return 
to  him  in  the  Way  prefcribed. —  The  Gofpel  reprefents  God 
the  Son,  as  being  conftituted  Mediator  by  his  Father,that  in 
and  by  him  he  might  open  a  Way  to  accomplifh  his  Des 
-.  -i  fign- 


250        True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

figns  of  Mercy  towards  a  guilty  World,  confiftent  with  the 
Honour  of  his  Majefty,  of  his  Holinefsand  Juflice,  of  his 
Law  and  Government.  His  Father  appointed  him  to  the 
Office,  and  he  freely  undertook  it.  His  Father  fent  him 
into  this  World  to  enter  uponr  the  difficult  Work,  and  he 
willingly  came.  He  was  made  Flejh^  and  dwelt  among  us. 
Here  he  lived,  and  here  he  died,  in  the  Capacity  of  a  Me- 
diator. He  arofe,  he  afcended  into  Heaven,  and  fits  now 
at  his  Father's  right  Hand,  God-Man  Mediator,  exalted 
to  the  higheft  Honour,  made  Lord  of  all  Things,  and 
Judge  of  the  World.  And  now  we  are  to  have  Accefs  to 
God  by  him,  as  our  Mediator,  high  Priell,  IntercefTor  and 
Advocate,  who  has  m.ade  compleat  Atonement  for  Sins  in 
thz  Days  of  his  Abafement,  and  has  now  fufficient  Intereft 

in  the  Court  of  Heaven. The  Gofpel  reprefents  God 

the  Holy  Ghoft^  as  being  fent  of  the  Father  as  prime  Agent, 
and  by  the  Son  as  Mediator,  in  the  Character  of  an  En- 
lightner  &  Sandlifier:  in  order  to  bring  Sinners  effedlualiy 
to  fee  and  be  fenfible  of  their  Sin,  Guilt,  and  Ruin,  to  be- 
lieve the  Gofpel,  to  truflin  Chrift,  and  to  return  home  to 
God  thro'  him.  And  it  is  his  OffiA  to  dwell  in  Believers, 
to  teach  and  lead  them,  to  fan6lify,'quicken,ftrengthen  and 
comfort  them-,&  to  keep  them  thro'  Faith  untoSalvation. — 
The  Father  is  God  by  Nature,  and  God  by  Office  :  the 
Son  is  God  by  Nature5and  Mediator  by  Office.  The  Spirit 
is  God  by  Nature,  and  Sandtifier  by  Office.  The  Father^ 
as  Governour,  Lawgiver,  Judge  and  Avenger,has  allPower 
in  Heaven  and  Earth,  in  and  of  himfelf.  Matth.  11.  25. 
The  Scn^  as  Mediator,  derives  all  his  Authority  from  the 
Father.  Matth.  11.  27.  The  Holy  Spirit  a6ts  as  being  fent 
by  them  both,  by  the  Father  as  fuprcme  Governour  dealing 
with  a  finful,  guilty  World  thro'  a  Mediator  \  by  the  Son  as 
Mediator  negociating  a  Reconciliation  betweenGod  &Man. 
Joh.  14.  16.  —  The  Father  maintains  the  Honour  of  the 
God-head,  and  of  his  Government,  and  difplays  his  Grace, 
while  he  ordains  that  Sin  fhall  be  punifhed,  the  Sinner 
humbled,  and  brought  back  to  God,  and  into  a  Subjedtion 
to  his  Will,  and  in  that  Way  be  pardoned  &  finally  faved. 
Sin  is  punifhed  in  the  Son  as  Mediator,  Handing  in  the 
Room  of  the  Guilty.     And  the  Sinner  is  humbled,  bro't 

back 


and  diflinguipoed  from  all  Counterfeits.   251 

back  to  God,  and  into  a  Subjedion  to  his  Will,  by  the 
Hok  Spirit  •,  and  in  this  Way  is  pardoned  and  faved.  And 
thus  the  Son  and  the  Spirit  honour  the  Father  as  fupreme 
Governour,  and  all  join  in  the  fame  Defign  to  difcounte- 
fiance  Sin,  humble  the  Sinner,  and  glorify  Grace.     Thus 

far  briefly  of  the  Dodlrinc  of  the  Trinity. Right  Ap- 

prehenfions  of  God  help  us  to  underftand  the  Law, 
and  right  Apprchenfions  of  the  Trinity  will  help  us  to  un- 
deriland  the  Gofpel.  Not  how  they  are  three  Perfons  and 
yet  but  one  God,  the  Manner  of  which  is  not  needful  to  be 
known  •,  but  the  Offices  and  Chara6lers  they  fuftain,  and 
the  different  Parts  they  ad  in  the  great  Affair  of  faving 
Sinners. —  God  (fays  the  Text)  fo  loved  the  Worlds  that  he 
gave  his  only  begotten  Son  •,  that  whofoever  believeth  in  him^ 
.(hould  not  periJJj^  but  have  everlafting  Life.  i.  e.  God  the  Fa- 
ther, the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  whom  we  had 
offended  by  Sin — 

So  LOVED  the  World i.  e.  with  a  Love  of  Bene- 
volence. Efteem  us  he  could  not  ;  for  we  were  worthlefs 
and  vile  :  To  delight  in  us,  it  was  impoffible  ;  for  we  were 
altogether  odious  and  abominable.  But  to  have  a  Good- 
will towards  us,  or  a  Will  to  do  us  Good,  this  he  might 
have,  altho'  we  were  finful  and  guilty  :  Not  indeed  from 
any  Motive  in  us  ;  for  if  we  were  viewed,  and  our  Temper 
and  Circumflances  confidered,  there  was  not  to  be  {tta 
one  Motive  to  Pity,  no,  not  the  leaft  ;  but  every  Motive 
to  Indignation  and  Wrath.  However,  from  Motives  with- 
in himfelf,  he  might  will  to  do  us  Good,  notwithftanding 
our  Sin  and  Guilt.  The  felf-moving  Goodnefs  of  his  Na- 
tdre  did  excite  him,  from  the  good  Pleafure  of  his  Will,  to 
the  Praife  of  the  Glory  of  his  Grace,  to  defign  Mercy  to- 
wards a  finful,  guilty,  ruined  World. — God  fo  loved  theJVorld. 

The  WQFJLD i.  e.  all  Mankind,  all  thePofterity 

of  Adam.  For  what  follows,  is  evidently  true,  of  every  In- 
dividual :  That  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whofoever 
Relieves  in  him,  fhould  notperifh,  but  have  everlafling  Ltfe. 

SO  loved- i.  e.  fo  inconceivably,  fo  unfpeakably. 

That  he  GAVE  his  only  begotten  Son i.  e.   of  his 

mere,  pure  Goodnefs  conftituted  him  to  be  a  Mediator,  ap- 
pointed him  to  be  a  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  to  makeAtone- 

mcnt 


252        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  I. 

ment  for  Sin  and  purchafe  divine  Favours,  and  fo  to  open 
a  Way  for  Sinners  to  return  to  God  with  Safety,  and  for 
God  to  fhew  Mercy  to  them  with  Honour.  God  fo  loved 
the  Worlds  i.e.  all  the  Race  o^  Adam^  that  ht  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  immediately  upon  theApoftacy  of  Mankind; 
for  then  was  this  Seed  of  the  Woman  promifed,  {Gen.  3.  15.) 
that  all,  being  hy  Nature  Children  of  IVrath^  might  be  pre- 
vented by  divine  Goodnefs.  God  faw  all  involved  in  Sin 
and  Guilt  and  Ruin,  by  Adam's  firft  Sin  :  And  fo  he  pro- 
vided a  Saviour  for  all  •,  that  whofoever  believes  in  kim^fhould 
not  perifh^  hut  have  everlafting  Life, 

-     Should  not  PERISH. He  viewed  all  Mankind  as 

finful  and  guilty,  loft,  undone  and  perifhing,  /.  e.  expofed 
to  the  Wrath  of  God  and  Curfe  of  the  Law,  to  all  the  Mi- 
feries  of  this  Life,  to  Death  it  felf,  and  to  the  Pains  of  Hell 
for  ever.  And  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son  to  be  a  Sa- 
viour,  

^hat  whofoever  BELIEVE^H  in  him^ i.  e.  that 

ventures  upon  his  Atonement,  his  Worth  and  Merits,  his 
Mediation  and  Intercelllon,  for  divine  Acceptance  •,  fo  as 
to  be  thence  emboldened  to  return  Home  to  God,   upon 

the  Invitation  of  the  Gofpel. That  all  fuch  Ihould  not 

perilh, But 

'^    Have  EVERLASTING  LIFE i.e.  the  everlaft- 

•  ing  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  as  a  San6lifier  and  Com- 

^forter,  to  be  a  never-failing  Spring  of  a  new,  a  fpiritaal  and 

divine  Life  •,    everlafting  Union  and   Communion   with 

'Chrift,  and  the  everlafting  Favour  and  Enjoyment  of  God 

*  thro'  him. 

Thus  we  have  in  thefe  Words  a  brief  View  of  the  glori- 
ous Gcfpel  of  the  bleffed  God.     And  from  them  we  may 
learn,  (i.)  That  God,  the  great  Governourof  the  World, 
confidered  Mankind,  as  being  in  zperijhing  Condition,  /.  e. 
finful,  guilty,  juftly  condemned,  helplefs  and  undone.  (2.) 
"That  it  was  merely  from  Motives  within  bimfelf  that  he  has 
done,  what  he  has,    for  their  Recovery  out  of  this  State. 
(3.)  That  he  has  conftituted  his  Son  a  Mediator,  Redeemer 
%nd  Saviour,  that  thro'  him  Sinners  might  be  faved.  (4.) 
•^^That  he  has  appointed  Faith  in  Chrift,  to  be  the  Condition 

•^^  of  Salvation. Here  therefore  I  will  endeavour  to  Ihew, 

I.  Upon 


'  and  dtjlinguijh  edfrom  all  Counterfeits.   253 

I.  Upon  what  Grounds  it  was,  that  God,  the  great  Go- 
vernour  of  the  World,  did  confider  Mankind,  as  being  in  a 
^^r/y^/wg- Condition,  /.  ^.  finfu],  guilty,  juilly  condemned, 
helplefs  and  undone. 

II.  What  were  the  Motives^  which  excited  him  to  do^^ 
what  he  has  done,  for  their  Recovery. 

III.  What  Necefftty  there  was  of  a  Mediator  zndRedeemer^ 
and  how  the  Way  to  Life  has  been  opened  by  him  whom 
God  has  provided. 

IV.  What  is  the  true  Nature  of  faving  Failh  in  Him. 
And  fo  by  the  Whole,  to  explain  the  Nature  of  theGofpcl, 
and  of  a  genuine  Compliance  therewith. —  And  in  the  lalt 
Place, 

V.  Will  confider  the  Promife  of  everlafting  Life  to  thofe 
-who  believe. 

Section     I. 

Shewing  the  Reafbns  why  God  does  in  the 
Gofpel  conjtder  Mankind  as  bei7ig  in  a 
periiliing  Condition. 

I.  I  am  to  fhew  upon  'ujhat  Grounds  it  was,  that  Gody 
the  great  Goz-ernour  of  the  World,  did  confider  Mankind  as 
being  in  a  ptriihing  Condition,  i.  e.  fmful,  guilty,  juilly  con- 
demned, helplefs  and  undone. That  he  did  confider 

Mankind  as  being  in  a  perilhing  Condition,  is  evident,  be- 
caufe  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  they  might  not 
■ferijh  who  fhould  believe  in  him.  If  we  were  not  in  a 
perifhing  Condition,  his  giving  his  Son  to  fave  us  from 
Perdition  had  been  needlefs :  and  his  pretending  greatLove 
and  Kindnefs  in  doing  fo,  had  been  to  affront  us  -,  to  make 
as  if  we  were  undone  Creatures,  when  we  w^ere  not ;  and 
as  if  we  were  much  beholden  to  him  for  his  Goodnefs, 
when  we  could  have  done  well  enough  without  it.  And 
the  more  he  pretends  of  his  great  Love  and  Kindnefs,  the 
-greater  muft  the  Affront  be.  So  that,  however  we  look 
upon  our  felves,  'tis  certain  that  God,  who  fees  all  Things 
as  being  what  they  are,  did  adually  look  ppon  us,  as  in  a 
^^»^'*'' .  periiliing 


2  54  J  rue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

perifhing,  lofl,  undone  Condition. —  And  if  he  confidered 
ViS  as  being  in  fuch  a  Condition,  it  muri:  have  been  becaufe 
he  looked  upon:  us  as  finful,  guilty,  juilly  condemned  and 
altogether  heiplefs  •,  for  otherwife  vyc  were  not  in  a  perifli- 
ing  Condition.  If  we  could  have  helped  our  ielvesa  little, 
we  fhouid  not  have  needed  one  to  fave  us,  but  only  to 
help  us  to  fave  our  lelvcs  :  but  our  Salvation  in  Scripture 
is  always  attributed  wholly  to  God  •,  and  God  every  where 
takes  all  the  Glory  to  himfelf,  as  tho'  in  very  Deed  he  had 
deferved  it  all.  {Eph,  i.  3 — 6.  and  2.  i — 9.)  So  that  it  is 
certain,  God  did  look  uponMankind  as  being  in  a  periHiin^ 
Condition,  finfui,  guilty,  juftly  condemned,  and  altogether 
heiplefs  :  and  confidering  us  in  fuch  a  Condition,  he  enter- 
ed upon  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  and  Grace  •,  and  therefore 
he  every  where  magnifies  his  LiOve,  and  looks  upon  us  as 
infinitely  beholden  to  him,  and  under  infinite  Obligations 
to  afcribe  to  him  all  the  Glory  and  Praife,  even  quite  all. 

nat  no  Flefi  Jhould  glory  in  his  Prefence. But  he  that 

glorieth^  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord,   i  Cor.  i.  29,  31. 

It  is  of  great  Importance  therefore,  that  we  come  to  look 
upon  our  felves  as  being  in  fuch  a  penihing  Condition  too  ; 
for  otherwife  it  is  impofiible  we  fhouid  ever  be  in  a  Difpo- 
fition  thankfully  to  accept  Gofpel-Grace,  as  it  is  offered 
unto  us.  We  Ihall  rather  be  oflfended,  as  thinking  the 
Gofpel  cafls  Reproach  upon  human  Nature,in  fuppofing  us 
to  be  in  fuchaforlornCondition,as  toflandinaperiihingNeed 
of  having  fo  much  done  for  us.  As  the  Jews  of  old  fcorned 
it,  when  Chrift  told  them.  If  they  would  become  his  Bifciples, 
they  jhould  know  the  Truths  and  the  Truth  foould  make  them 
free.  They  took  it  as  an  Affront,  and  were  ready  to  fay, 
*'  What !  Juft  as  if  we  w^ere  in  Bondage !  Indeed  no.  We 
"  were  never  in  Bondage  to  any  Man.  W^e  have  Abraham 
«  to  our  Father,  and  God  is  our  Father  \  but  thou  haft  a 
"  Devil."  Joh,  8.  31 — 48.  They  would  not  underftand 
him,they  were  all  in  a  Rage.  And  fo  it  is  like  to  be  with  us, 
withRegard  to  the  Methods,  which  God  has  taken  with  us 
in  the  Gofpel,  unlefs  we  look  upon  our  felves  as  he  does, 
fo  v/retched  and  mifcrable,  fo  poor,  blind  and  naked,  fo 
heiplefs,  loft  and  undone.  It  is  the  want  of  this  Self- Ac- 
quaintance, together  with  a  fond  Notion  of  our  being  in  a 

much 


and  diflinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits  255 

much  better  Cafe  than  we  be,  that  raifes  fuch  a  mighty 
Cry  againft  the  Do6lrines  ot  Grace,  thro'  a  proud,  impeni- 
tent, guilty  World. 

And  fince  God  does  thus  look  upon  us  to  be  in  fach  a 
perilhing  Condition,  and  upon  this  Suppontlon  enters  on 
his  Defigns  of  Mercy  and  Grace,  here  now  therefore  docs 

the  Quellion  recur, Upon  what  Grounds  is  /'/,  thai  he 

conftders  us   as  being    in  fuch  a  perifljing  Condiiicn  ? 

Grounds  he  mufl  have,  and  good  Grounds  too,  or  he  would 
never  thus  look  upon  us.  If  we  may  rightly  underfland 
what  they  be,  perhaps  we  may  come  to  look  upon  our 
felves  as  he  does  •,  and  then  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpei  will 
begin  to  appear  to  us,  in  the  fame  Light  it  does  to  him. 
TheGrounds  then,  are  as  follows. 

I .  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  does  in  the 
Gofpcl  confider  Mankind  as  bdng  guilty  of  Adam's  firft  Sin^ 
aftd  on  that  Account  to  be  in  a  periihlng  Condition.  In, 
Ada'ni  zill  died^  ( i  Cor.  15.  22.)  But  Death  is  the  IVages  of 
Sin:  (Rom.  6.  23.)  Therefore  \n  Adam  all  fmned.  For  by 
one  Man  Sin  entered  into  the  Worlds  and  Death  by  Sin  j  andfo 
Death  paffed  upon  all  Men^for  that  all  have  finned,  i.  e.  fm- 
ned in  Adam.  (Rom.  5.  12. )  for  (/.  19. )  By  one  Man's 
Difobedience  many  were  made  Sinners.  And  accordingly  by  the 
Offence  of  one^  Judgment  came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation. 
And  hence  all  are  by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath. {^^\\,  2.  3.) 
-  Ob  J.  But  how  can  we  be  guilty  of  Adam's  firft  Sin?  It 
was  he  committed  ity  and  not  we  \  and  that  without  our  Con 
fent^  and  a  long  Time  before  we  were  born. 

Ans.  yf<j/<3/;';,  by  divine  Appointment,  flood  andadted  as 
our  publick  Plead.  He  ilood  a  Reprefentative  in  theRoom 
of  all  his  Poilerity  ;  and  accordingly  aded  not  only  for 
himfelf,  but  for  them.  His  fuftaining  this  Charader  ren- 
dered him  a  Type  of  Chrift,  iht  fecond  Adam^  who  has  laid 
down  his  Life  in  the  Room  andStead  of  Sinners.  And  his 
being  fpoken  of  in  Scripture  as  a  Type  of  Chrift  with  Ref- 
peft  to  this  Character  of  a  pubhck  Head,  proves  that  he  did 
adually  fuftain  fuch  a  CharavSter.  {Rom..^.  14.)  And  there- 
tore  as  by  the  Obedience  of  Chrilf^  many  are  made  Righte- 
eus.;  fo  by  the  Difobedience  of  y^^^;?2,  many  are  made  Sin- 
ners. :(;>h.i  94  i.  e.  by  .the  LriputaUPn  of  Chrift's  Obedience 
^.jrr:  ^  Believers 


256  True  Religion  deii?2eated      Dis.  L 

Believers  become  legally  righteous  -,  righteous  in  the  Sight 
of  God  by  Vertue  of  an  ellablirhed  Conftitution  j  and  fo 
have  the  Reward  of  eternal  Lile  :  So  by  the  Imputation  of 
Mam's  firft  Sin,  his  Poflerity  by  ordinary  Generation,  be- 
came legally  Sinners,  Sinners  in  the  Sight  of  God  by  Ver- 
tue ot  an  eltabliHied  Conftitution,  and  lb  are  expofed  to  the 
Punilhment  of  eternal  Death,  the  proper  Wages  of  Sin. 
Now  it  is  true,  we  did  not  Personally  rife  in  Rebellion  a- 
gainft  God  in  that  firft  Tranfgrefllon,  but  he  who  did  do  it 
Was  cur  Reprefentative.  We  are  Members  of  the  Commu- 
nity he  adted  for,  and  God  confiders  us  as  fuch  •,  and  there- 
fore looks  upon  us  as  being  legally  guilty,  and  liable  to  be 
dealt  with  accordingly  :  And  fo  on  this  Account  in  a  pe- 
rifhing  Condition.  But  perhaps  fome  will  ftill  be  ready  to 
fay,  "  And  where  is  thejuftice  of  all  this  ?"  Methinks  the 
following  Confiderations,  if  we  w^ill  be  difintereftedly  im- 
partial, may  fet  the  Matter  in  a  fatisfying  Light. 

(i.)  That  the  original  Ccnftituiion  7nade  with  Adam,  as  to 
himfelf  perfonaUy  ccnfidered^  was  holy^juft  and  good. 

(2.)  That  if  all  bis  Pojierity  had  been  put  under  the  fame 
Confiitution^  one  by  one^from  Age  to  Age^  as  they  came  intcBe- 
ing^  to  aB  for  themjelves^  it  had  alfo  been  hcly^^juft  a?id  good, 

(^.)  That  it  was,  in  the  Nature  of  the  Things  in  all  Ref 
fe5fs^  as  well  for  our  Intereft^  that  Adam  fkculd  be  made  our 
fublickHeadi^  Reprefentative^  to  a^  not  only  for  himfelf^  but 
for  all  his  Pofterity^  as  that  we  fhould  each  fi and  and  a^  for 
himfelf  fingly  •,  and  in  fome  Refpe^fs  better. 

(4.)  That  in  fuch  a  Cafe^  God^  as  fupr erne  Lord  and  fove^ 
reign  Cover  nour  of  the  whole  fForld^  had  full  Power  and  right- 
ful Authority  to  confiitute  Adam  our  common  Head  and  pub- 
lick  Reprefentative^  to  a6i  in  our  Behalf. Let  us  there- 
fore diftindlly  confider  thefe  Particulars. 

(i.j  It  is  to  be  noted,  the  original  Conflitution  made 
w///^  Adam,  (Gen.  2.  17.)  as  to  himfelf  perfonaUy  confider  ed^ 
was  holy.,  juft  and  good,  as  will  appear  if  we  confider  the 
Circumftances  he  was  under,  antecedent  to  thatConftitution 
or  Covenant.         For, 

In  thefirfi  Place^  Antecedent  to  that  Covenant-Tranfac- 
tion,  he  was  under  infinite  Obligations  from  the  Reafbn 
and  Nature  of  Things,  to  love  God  with  all  hi$  Heart  and 

obey 


a?iddiftmguiJhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  257 

obey  him  in  every  Thing.  From  the  infinite  Excellence  and 
Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  from  God's  original,  en- 
tire Right  to  him,  as  his  Creature,  and  abfolute  Authority 
over  him,  as  his  S\ibje6f,  did  his  infinite  Obligation  fo  to 
do,  necelTarily  arife.  It  was  fit,  it  was  infinitely  fit  and 
right,  that  he  ihould  look  upon  the  infinitely  glorious  God 
his  Maker  and  Governour,  as  being  what  he  was,  and  as 
having  luch  a  Right  to  him  and  Authority  over  him  as  he 
had,  and  that  he  ihould  be  affeBed  and  a^  accordingly^  an- 
tecedent to  the  Confideration  of  any  Coven ant-Tranfa6lion. 
And  no  Doubt,  this  was  adluaily  the  Cafe  with  him,  be- 
fore that  Covenant  was  made  ;  for  he  ^Vas  created  in  the 
Image  of  God ^  (Gen.  i.  27.)  And  fo  his  Heart  was  full  of 
a  %t\\it  of  his  Glory,  and  of  admiring  and  adoringTho'ts  : 
He  felt  that  he  was  not  his  own,  but  the  Lord's  ;  and  he 
loved  him  and  was  entirely  devoted  to  him,  in  the  Temper 
of^iis  Mind,  confcious  of  the  infinite  Obligations  he  was 

under  thereto. And  farther,   'tis  certain  that  God  was 

the  fole  Lord  and  Owner   of  this  lower  World,  and  all 
Things  in  it  ;  and  that  Adam  had  no  Right  to  any  Thing 

but  by  a  divine  Grant.; And  'tis  certain,  it  was  fit  that 

Adam  fliould  be  put  into  a  ^taU  of  Trialy  and  that  God 
had  Authority  to  do  it. 

And  now  fince  he  was  naturally  under  fuch  infinite  Ob- 
ligations to  love  and  obey  God  his  Maker,  God  the  fu- 
preme  Lord  and  fovereign  Governour  of  all  Things  *,  fincc 
he  had  no  Right  to  any  of  the  Trees  of  the  Garden,  but  by 
the  free  Grant  of  God  -,  and  fince  it  was  fit  he  (hould  be 
put  into  a  State  of  Trial,  and  God  had  Authority  to  do  it ; 
Since  thefe  Things  were  fo,  it  is  evident,  that  Conftitutioa 
was  HOLY,  In  the  Bay  thou  eatefi  thereof^  thoufhalt  furely 
die.  God  had  a  Right  to  make  fuch  a  Law  i  for  Adam 
was  his,  and  all  the  Trees  in  the  Garden  were  his,  and  he 
was  by  Nature  GOD,  SUPREME  LORD  AND  SOVE- 
REIGN GOVERNOUR  of  the  whole  World,  and  it  wai 
fitting  he  fhould  ad  as  fuch  :  And  it  was  infinitely  fit  that 
Adum  fhould  have  a  facred  Regard  to  his  Authority  in  all 
-TRings,  J>ecaufe  he  was  fuch  ♦,  and  that  his  eternal  Welfare 
ftould  lie  at  Stake,  and  be  fufpended  upon  his  good  Beha- 
,yipur,-i-i-tAjad  no  DouhlAdam^  viewed  Things  thus,  an4 
*    .  S  waf 


258  True  Religion  delineated    Dis.  II. 

was  thoro'ly  fenfible  that  God  had  a  Right  to  prohibit  that 
Tree  upon  Pain  of  Death,  and  that  he  was  under  infinite 
Obligations  to  have  a  moft  facred  Regard  to  his  Will  in 
that  Matter.     Thus  that  Conflitution  was  Hcly. 

And  if  we  confider,  in  the  next  Place^  that,  as  has  been 
obferved,  Adam  was  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love  God 
Kis  Maker  with  all  his  Heart,  and  obey  him  in  everyThing, 
refulting  from  the  very  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things,  it 
will  appear  that  the  'Threatningwas  jujl  i  and  no  more  than 
what  he  muft  have  expedted,  had  he  fallen  into  any  Sin 
whatfoever,  antecedent  to  any  Conflitution  at  all. — Adam^ 
in  a  State  of  pure  Nature^  i.  e.  prior  to  any  Covenant-T^ranf- 
a5fion^  was  under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfe6l  Love  a.nd 
perfect  Obedience  •,  the  leaft  Defecl  therefore  muft  have 
been  infinitely  finful  ;  and  fo  by  Confequence  muft  have 
deferved  an  infinite  Punilliment.  And  it  was  meet  that 
God  the  Governour  of  the  World  fliouid  punilh  Sin  accoi;^- 
ing  to  it's  realDcfert :  in  the  Nature  of  Things  it  was  meet, 
antecedent  to  any  exprefs  Declaration  of  his  Defign  to  do 
fo.  And.  Adam  knew  all  this.  He  knew  what  Obligations  • 
he  was  under  to  God,  to  love  him  with  all  his  Heart  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing  •,  and  by  Confequence,  he  was 
confcious  to'himfelf  that  the  leaft  Defed  would  be  an  infi- 
nite Evil,  and  fo  would  deferve  an  infinite  Punifliment  ; 
and  he  knew  that  it  was  the  Nature  of  God  to  render  to 
every  one  according  to  their  Deferts  :  he  was  certain  there- 
fore, from  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things,  antecedent 
to  that  Threatning,  that  the  leaft  Sin  would  expofe  him  to 

an  infinite  Puniihmcnt. From  this  View  of  the. Cafe, 

it  is  plain,  that  that  Threatning  wasjujly^nd  Adam  did  moft 

perfedlly  approve  of  it  as  fuch. It  was  no  more  than 

it  was  reafonable  for  Adam  to  exped,  and  meet  for  God  to 
inflid,  for  any  Tranfgreflion  of  the  Law  of  Nature.  And 
it  was  againft  the  Law  of  Nature,  for  Adam  to  eat  the  for- 
bidden fruit,  when  once  God  had  faid,  he  fhould  not.  It 
was  a  pradtical  denying  of  God's  Supremacy,  and  cafting 
off  his  Authority,  and  an  aftually  fetting  up  of  his  Will 
againft  the  Lord's.  If  any  Sin  therefore  deferred  an  ii^fi- 
nite  Puaifhment,  fui:eiy.tliat  did. 

''■  ■  'Remark. 


a7id  dijli7iguljhed  from  all  Counterfeits,   259 

Remark,  And  here  by  the  AVay,  from  this  View  of  the 
Cafe,  we  may  eain  a  certain  Knov/led<i;e  ot  what  God  meant 


^ — ^ —  — --.  -         j3 


hY^'Thoii  fljalt  fiirely  die  -,  or  as  it  is  in  theOrigi-nal,  In  dying 
thou  fljdt  die  -,  and  may  be  certain  howy'ldam  underftood  it. 
— 1  le  did  not  mean,  that  Adatn  fhould  be  atinibilated  ;  for 
fuch  a  Puniihment  was  not  equal  to  theCrime.  He  might 
without  Injuuice  Irave  cnnih Hated  Adayn^  had  he  remained 
innocent  •,  for  he  that  gives  Being  of  his  mere  good  Plea- 
fure,  may  of  his  mere  good  Pieafure  take  it  away  again. 
Nor  could  ylddni  have  brought  God  into  Debt  by' a  thou- 
fand  Years   perfect  Obedience  \  for  he  owed  himfelf  and 

all  he  could  do,  to  God  his  Maker.  Rom.  1 1.  35. God 

meant  to  punifh  Adam  according  to  his  Deferts  ;  but  Anni- 
hilation would  not  have  been  fuch  a  Punifliment :  And 
therefore  it  is  certain  that  this  was  not  what  God  meant. 
Adam  knew  that  Sin  was  an  infinite  Evil,  and  fo  deferved 
%.  infinite  Puniihment,  and  that  it  was  meet  it  fhould  be 
punifhed  according  to  it's  Deferts,  and  that  it  was  the  Na- 
ture of  God  to  do  fo  •,  but  Annihilation  was  not  fuch  a  Pu- 
nifhment,  and  Adajn  could  not  but  know  it  :  And  there- 
tore  Adam  could  not  underftand  Death  in  this  Senfe. ' 

God  meant  to  punifh  Adam  according  to  his  Deferts.  And 
what  did  he  deferve  ?  Why,  an  infinite  Punifliment, 
i.  e.  to  have  all  Good  taken  away,  and  all  Kinds  of  Evil 
come  u^ox\\i\m  for  ever.  Well,  what  Good  hdidiAdam  in 
Pollefiion  !  Why,  he  had  a  natural  Life^  refulting  from  the 
Union  of  hisSoul  and  Body,  with  all  theDelights  andSwcet- 
nefTes  thereof :  And  he  had  difprittial  Life,,  refulting  from 
the  gracious  Influences  of  the  holy  Spirit,  and  confifting 
in  the  Image  of  God  and  Senfe  of  his  Love,  with  all  theDe- 
lights andSweetneffes  thereof:  And  he  was  formed  forlm- 
mortality,  and  fo  was  in  a  Capacity  of  eternal  Life  and 
BlefTedncfs  in  glorifying  God  and  enjoying  of  him.  Here 
therefore  he  was  capable  of  a  natural^  a  fpiritual  and  an  e- 
ternal  Death  \  to  have  Soul  and  Body  rent  afunder  forever, 
to  be  forfakcn  by  the  Spirit  of  God  and  given  up  to  the 
Power  of  Sin  and  Satan  for  ever,  and  to  have  God  Al- 
mighty become  his  cverlalling  Enemy. All  this  he 

deferved  ;  and  therefore  God  meant  all  this.     All  this  he 
knew  he  fhould  dcfervc  5  and  therefore  he  could  not  but 

S  2  underftand 


26o  True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

understand  the  Threatning  to  comprehend  all  this.  . 
Befidesjthat  which  makes  it  Hill  more  certain,  that  this  was 
the  Meaning  of  that  liril  Thieatning,  is,  thacGod  hasfmce 
very  exprelly  threatned  eternal  Death  as  the  Wages  of  the 
leallSin.  B.cm  i.  i8.  Gd.  3.  10.  Matt,  25.  46.  (  And  the 
Word  DEATH  it  felf  is  plainly  ufed  to  fignify  eternal 
Death  and  Mifery.  Rom.  6.  23.  Rom.  8.  13. )  So  that  either 
now  he  means  to  punifh  Sin  more  than  it  deferves,  or  he 
intended  then  to  punifh  Sin  lefs  than  it  deferved,  or  elfe 
eternalDeath  was  v,  hat  he  always  meant,  by  threatningD^^//& 
as  the  Wages  of  Sin.  If  he  means  to  puniHi  Sin  now  more 
than  he  did  then^  it  is  too  much  now^  or  not  enough  then  •, 
both  which  are  equally  contrary  to  the  Reafon  and  Nature 
cf  Things,  and  equally  inconfiilent  with  the  impartial  Juf- 
tice  of  the  divine  Nature,  which  always  inclines  him  to 
render  to  every  one  according  to  their  Deferts,  nor  more, 
nor  lefs  ;  And  therefore  eternal  Death  was  intended  in  that 
firft  Threatning.     But  this  by  the  W^ay. 

And,  Lajlly^  as  that  Conftitution  was  holy  and  juft,  fo 
alfo  it  was  Good.  Becaufe  it  put  Jdatn  (  perfonally  confi- 
dered)  under  better  Circumflances  than  he  was  before.  For 
while  in  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  perfecft  Obedience  could 
not  have  given  him  any  Title  to  eternal  Life  •,  but,  as  was 
faid  before,  God  might  have  annihilated  him  at  Pleafure, 
after  a  Hundred,  or  a  Thoufand,  or  ten  Thoufand  Years, 
without  any  Injuftice  to  him.  {Job  22.  2.R&m.ii\  ^§.)  But 
now  under  this  Conftitution  he  had  an  AfTurance  ot  'eternal 
Life  upon  perfedl  Obedience.  For  inafmuch  as  God  threat- 
ned Death  inCafe  he  fnould  fin,  it  is  evidently  implied  that 
he  fhould  have  lived  for  ever  in  Cafe  he  had  been  obedient. 
So  that  there  was  infinite  Goodnefs  manifefled  to  Jdam 
(  perfonally  confidered  )  in  this  Conftitution,  eternal  Life 
being  thus  promifed  of  mere  unmerited  Bounty.  And  be- 
fides,  after  a  While  his  State  of  Trial  would  have  been  at 
an  End,  ^d  he  confirmed  in  an  immutable  State  of  Holi- 
ncfs  and  Happinefs  ;  of  which  Confirmation  the  *Tree  of 
Life  feems  to  have  been  defigned  as  a  facramental  Sign.Gcru 
3.  22.  Rev.  2.  7.  and  22.  14.  Whereas  had  he  remained 
in  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  he  muft  have  been  everlaftingly 
in  a  Stute  g?f  Ir'robation,  had  ic .  plcafed  his  Maker  to  have 

continued 


and  dijiinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  261: 

continued  him  inr  Being.  So  that,  upon  the  Whole,  it  is 
plain,  this  Conftitution,  as  to  Adam  perfonally  confidered, 
was  holy^  jujf  aadgcod.  And  wdam  had  great  Reafon,  with 
all  his  Heart  to  give  Thanks  to  God  his  Maker,  lor  his 
Goodnefs  andCondefcenfion,  that  he  would  be  fo  kind  and 
(loop  fo  low,  as  to  enter  into  luch  a  Covenant  with  aWorm 
of  the  Duft  :  And  no  Doubt,  he  did  fo  with  the  iincereft 
Gratitude.        We  proceed  therefore  to  confider, 

(2.)  That  if  all  his  Pofterity  had  beenfut  under  this  fame 
Confiitutiony  cm  by  one^  from  Age  to  Age^  as  they  came  into 
Beings  to  a5f  fingly  for  themfehes^  it  had  alfo,  as  to  them^have 
been  HOLT,  JUS'T  and  GOOD,  As  it  was  better  for  Adam 
than  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  fo  it  would  have  been  for  the 
fame  Reafon  better  for  us.  We  (had  we  remained  in  a  State 
of  pure  Nature,  i.e.  without  any  Conftitution  at  all)  lliould 
hfve  been  earh  one  of  us  under  the  fame  infinite  Obligation 
to  perfect  Obedience  to  the  Law  of  Nature,  and  equally 
expofed  to  the  fame  infinite  Funiihment  for  the  lead  Sin,  as 
he  was,  and  as  much  without  a  Title  to  Life  upon  perfefl 
Obedience,  and  as  liable  to  be  everLftingly  in  a  State  of 
Probation.  And  therefore  fuch  a  Conftitution  would  have 
been  as  great  a  Favour  to  us,  as  it  was  to  him  •,  and  we 
equally  under  Obligations  to  Gratitude  and  Thankfulnefs 
to  God  therefor.  But, 

fj.)  //  was  as  well  for  our  Inter  eft,  in  the  Nature  of  the 
mng,  in  all  Refpe^is,  that  Adam  fhould  be  made  apublick 
Head  and  Reprefentative,to  act  not  only  for  himflfbut  for  all 
his  Pofterity,  as  if  we  had  been  put  to  ailfingly  for  ourfehes ; 
and  infome  Refpe5fs  better.  For,  Adam  was,in  the  Nature  of 
the  Thing,  in  all  Refpeds,  as  likely  to  (land,  as  any  of  us 
fhould  have  been,  and  in  fome  Refpedls  more  likely.  For 
he  had  as  good  natural  Powers,  as  much  of  the  Image  of 
God,  and  as  great  a  Senfe  of  his  Obligations,  as  any  of  us 
fhould  have  had  •,  and  had  in  all  Refpedts  as  many  Motives 
to  Watchfulnefs  ;  and  in  fome  Refpedts  more, — in  that  not 
c»ly  his  own  everlafting  Welfare  lay  at  Stake,  but  alfo  the 
everlafting  Welfare  of  all  his  Pofterity  too.  Befides,  he 
had  juft  received  the  Law  from  God's  own  Mouth,  and  he 
was  in  a  State  of  perfed  Manhood  when  his  Trial  began. 
So  that  upon  tjhe  whole,  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing,   it 

S  3  W'i« 


262  l^rue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  11. 

was  more  likely  he  fhould  ftand,than  that  any  of  us  ihould  \ 
and  therefore  it  ^^'as  more  for  our  Interelf^that  he  fliould  ad 
for  U5,than  we  for  ourfclves. — But  ir  we  had  been  put  to  adl 
fingly  for  our  felves  under  fuch  a  Conllltution,  it  had  been 
m.uch  better  than  to  be  left  in  a  State  of  pure  Nature,  and 
fo  we  fliould  have  had  great  Caufe  of  Thankfulncfs  toGod 
for  his  Condefcenfion  and  Goodnefs  •,  but  to  have  Adam 
appointed  to  acl  for  us,  v/as  in  the  Nature  of  the  Thing, 
fxill  mere  to  our  Advantage  ;  on  the  Account  of  v.'hich,  v/e 
have  th^xdoxt  ft  ill  great  erCaufe  of  Thankfulncfs  to  the  good 
Governour  of  the  World.  It  is  infinite  "Wickednefs  there- 
fore, to  fiy  in  the  Face  of  Almighty  God,  and  charge  him 
with  Unrighteoufnefs,  for  appointing  Adam  our  Head  and 
Reprefentative.  We  ought  racher  to  fay,  "  The  Conftitu- 
''  tion  v/as  holy,  juft  and  good,  yea,  very  good  •,  but  to 
*'  us  belongs  Shame  and  Confufion  of  Face,  for  that  j^'e 
*'  have  finned." 

Ob  J.  But  God  knew  hciv  it  wculd  turn  out^  he  kneivKCiim 
would  fall  and  wido  bimfelf  and  all  his  Race. 

Ansv/.  When  God  called  Abraham^  and  chcfe  him  and 
his  Seed  for  his  peculiar  People,  to  give  them  diftinguifli- 
ing  Advantages  and  Privileges,  and  that  proteffediy  un- 
der the  Notion  of  great  Kindncfs  and  unfpeakabie  Good- 
nefs •,  yet  at  the  fame  Time  he  kne-jj  how  they  would  turn 
out,  how  they  would  be  a  iliff-nccked  People,  and  v/ould 
kill  his  Prophets,  his  Son  and  Apoftles,  and  fo  be  call  otf 
from  being  his  People.  He  kneijo  all  this  bef ore- hand  \  ytt 
that  altered  not  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  at  aJi ;  did  not 
diminifh  his  Goodnefs,  nor  lelTcn  his  Grace.  And  the 
Jewijlo  Nation  at  diis  Day  haveReafon  to  fay,  "  TheLord's 
*^  Ways  have  been  Ways  of  Goodnefs,  and  blelTed  be  his 
*'  Name  •,  but  to  us  belongs  Shame  and  Coniufion  ofFace, 
*'  jor  that  we  have  finned." 

Ob  J.  Tes^  but  God  decreed  that  K^2Si\fbould  fall. 

Answ.  Me  did  not  decree  that  Adam  fiiould  fall,  any 
more  than  he  did,  that  the  Seed  of  yllraham  Ihould  turn 
out  fuch  a  fliff-neckcd,  rebellious  Race.  He  decreed  to 
permit  both  to  do  as  diey  did  ;  but  this  neither  leflens  his 
Cjoodnefs,  nor  their  Sin  :  for  God  is  not  obliged  to  put 
his  Creatures  under  fuch  Circumflanccs  as  that  they  fliaU 

never 


and  dijlingutjhed from  all  Counterfeits.  263 

never  be  tempted  nor  tried  ;  and  when  they  are  tried,  he  is 
not  obliged  to  keep  them  from  taUing  :  it  is  enough,  that 
they  have  fufficient  Power  to  (land  if  they  will ;  which 
was  the  Cafe  with  Adam. — Befidcs,  God  had  wife  Ends  in 
permiting  Adam  to  fall  \  for  he  deiigned  to  take  Occaiion 
therefrom  to  difplay  all  his  glorious  Perfedions  in  the  moft 
illuftrious  Manner.  So  that  we  may  fay  of  it  (and  Ihould, 
if  we  loved  God  above  our  fclves)  as  Jofeph  does  of  his 
Brethren's  felling  him,  Te  meant  it  for  Evil^  but  the  Lord 
meant  it  for  Good  :  So  here,  Satan  meant  it  for  Evil,  but 
God  meant  it  for  Good  ;  even  to  bring  much  Glory  to  his 
greatName.  Therefore  be  ftill,and  adore  his  holySovereign- 
ty.  And  at  the  fame  time  acknowledge,  that  the  Conftituti- 
on,  in  its  ownNature,  was  holy,  jufb  and  good, — Yea,  very 
good. —  Thefe  Things  being  confidered,  I  proceed  to  add, 
(4.)  Tbat  in  fuch  a  Cafe^  God,  as  fiipreme  Lord  and  fove- 
reign  Governour  of  the  whole  Worlds  had  full  Power  and 
rightful  Authority  to  confiitute  Adam  our  common  Head  and 
fublick  Reprefentative,  to  a5f  in  our  Behalf.  For,  as  the  Cafe 
ftood,  there  could  be  no  reafonable  Objedtion  againft  it. 
Adam  was  not  held  up  to  hard  Terms.  The  Threatning 
in  Cafe  of  Difobedience  was  ftridly  juft.  The  Conllitution 
in  it's  own  Nature  was  vaftly  for  the  Intereft  of  Adam  and 
of  all  his  Race.  Adam  was  already  conitituted  the  natural 
Head  of  all  Mankind  -,  for  God  bleffed  him.,  f^yl^g^  Be  fruit- 
ful and  multiply  and  replenijh  the  Earth.  Gen.  i.  28.  All 
his  Race,  f^d  they  then  exifted,  would,  if  they  had  been 
wife  for  themfelves,  readily  have  confented  to  fuch  a  Con- 
llitution, as  being  well  adapted  to  the  general  Good.  (  So 
Men  are  wont  to  do,  when  their  Eftates  lie  at  Stake,  or  tlaeir 
Lives  ;  if  they  think  that  an  Attorney  is  likely  to  manage 
the  Cafe  for  them  better  than  they  can  for  themfelves,  they 
will  choofe  him,  and  venture  the  Cafe  with  him,  rather 
than  with  themfelves.)  So  that  the  only  Quellion  is,  whe* 
ther  God  had,  in  fo  unexceptionable  a  Cafe,  full  Power 
arid  rightful  Authority  to  conftitute  Adam  a  publickHead, 
to  ftand  as  a  moral  Reprefentativc  for  all  his  Race  and  adl 
in  their  Behalf,  fo  that  they  ihould  (land  and  fall  with 
him  ?  Or  in  other  Words,  (  for  it  all  comes  to  the  fame 
Thing)  whether  in  any  Cafe  whatfoever,God  has  full  P-.rvVL  r 

O    4  XCi-A 


264  True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

and  rightful  Authority  10  appoint  one  to  ftand  and  ad 
in  the  Room  of  another,  fo  as  to  lay  a  Foundation  for  the 
Conduct  of  the  one  to  be  fo  impu:ed  to  the  other,  as  that 
both  fhall  ftand  and  fall  together  ?  And  fo  it  is  as  much  of 
a  Queflion,  whether  God  had  Power  and  Authority  to 
conilitute  the  fecond  Adam  a  publick  Head,  as  xh^firfi  ? 
if  God  had  not  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority,  to  ap- 
point the  firji  Adam  to  be  our  publick  Head  and  moral 
keprefentative,  to  fland  and  adt  in  our  Behalf,  fo  as  to  lay 
a  Foundation  for  his  Condud  to  be  fo  imputed  to  us,  as 
that  we  fhould  ftand  and  fall  with  him  :  l^hen  he  had  not 
full  Power  and  rightful  Authority,to  appoint  i\\q  fecond  Adam 
to  be  a  publick  Head  and  moral  Reprefcntative,  to  ftand 
and  a<ft  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty  World,  fo  as  to  lay  a  Foun- 
datijon  for  his  Righteoufnefs  to  be  fo  imputed  to  them  that 
believe  in  him,  as  that  they  fhould  be  juftified  and  faved 
thro*  it.  For  if  God  has  not  Power  to  conftitute  one  to 
ftand  and  a6t  in  the  Room  of  another,  in  any  Cafe  ivhalfo- 
ever ;  and  if  on  this  Foot,  we  fay  he  had  not  Power  to  ap- 
point i\\tfirfi  Adam^  'tis  plain  that  on  the  fame  Foot,  he 
had  no  Power  to  appoint  the  feccnd.  I  fuppofe  it  will  be 
readily  granted,  that  if  God  has  Power,  in  any  Cafe 
whatfoever,  to  conftitute  one  to  ftand  and  ad  in  the 
Room  of  another,  in  the  Manner  aforefaid  ;  then  he  had  in 
thefe  two  Inftances  of  Adam  and  Cbrif,  which  are  doubt- 
lefs,  on  all  Accounts,  in  themfeives,  moft  unexceptionable. 
But  if  God,  in  no  Cafe  whatfoever,  has  Power  to  appoint 
one  thus  to  ftand  and  ad  in  the  Room  of  another,  then 
.both  thefe  Conftitutions  are  effcdually  undermined  and 
rendered  null  and  void.  We  can  neither  be  guilty  of  Adam's 
firft  Sin,  fo  as  juftly  to  be  expofed  to  Condemnation  and 
Ruin  therefor  •,  nor  can  the  Righteoufnefs  of  Clnifi  be 
to  imputed  to  us,  as  to  intitle  us  to  Juftification  and  Life. 
C)ne  Man's  Difobedience  cannot  ccnfiiiute  many  to  be  Sin» 
-ners,  nor  the  Obedience  of  one  conjtitute  many  to  be  righ* 
teous.  We  can  neither  be  ruined  by  the  firft  Adam^  nor 
redeemed  by  the  fecond.  Under  the  Jezvifh  Difpenfatioa 
it  was  ordained  (  Lev,  1 6. )  that  Aaron  Jhould  lay  both  his 
Hands  upon  the  Head  of  the  live-Goaty  and  ccnfefs  over  him 
filths  Iniquities  of  the  Children  of  IfraeL  and  all  their  fr{inf^ 

griffions 


and dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   265 

grejfions  in  all  their  SinSy  putting  them  upon  the  Head  of  the 
Goaty  and  fend  him  away  by  the  Hand  of  a  fit  Man  into  the 
Wildernefs.  Jnd  (lays  God)  the  Goat  fjjall  hear  upon  him 
all  their  Iniquities ^  unto  a  hand  not  inhabited.  We  u fed  to 
to  think,  this  fcape-  Goat  was  defigned  by  God  to  typify 
Chrill.  And  the  Scripture  has  taught  us  in  exprefs  Lan- 
guage, that  the  Iniquities  of  us  all  "jcere  laid  on  him^  that  he 
hard  our  Sins^  that  he  was  made  a  Cur fe  for  us^  that  by  his 
Obedience  mayiy  are  made  righteous,  ^^Ifai,  53.  6.  Fet.  2.  24. 
Gal.  3.  13.  Ror^i.  5.  19.)  But  if  God  has  not  Authority  to 
conllitute  one  to  fcand  and  aft  in  the  Room  of  another, 
this  muft  all  be  void  ind  of  none  Effed.  And  thus  while 
Men  are  difputing  againil:  the  original  Conftitution  with 
Adam^  they  unawares  undermine  this  fecond  Conftitution, 
which  is  the  Foundation  of  all  our  Hopes.  Eager  to  avoid 
Adams  firft  Sin,  whereby  comes  Condemnation  •,  they  ren- 
der of  none  Effect  Chriffs  Righteoufnefs,  whereby  ccmes 
Juftification.  And  if  Chrifl  did  not  ftand  and  a6t  as  a 
publick  Perfon,  if  our  Sins  were  not  laid  upon  him,  if  he 
did  not  bare  them  on  the  Tree,  if  he  was  not  made  a  Curfc 
for  us,  and  if  we  are  not  to  be  pardoned  thro'  his  Atone- 
ment and  juflified  thro'  his  Righteoufnefs,  then  the  Gofpel 
is  all  a  Fable,  and  the  whole  Scheme  of  our  Salvation  there- 
in revealed  is  wholly  overthrown.  What  remains  therefore 
but  Deifm.  and  Infidelity  ?  But  in  as  much  as  we  have  full 
Evidence  to  the  Truth  of  the  Chriftian  Revelation,  and 
may  be  aflured  that  it  is  from  God,  we  may  therefore  be 
confirmed  in  it,  that  Jefus  Chrill  has  been  by  God  the  grealt 
Governour  of  the  World  appointed  a  publick  Perfon,  to 
ftand  and  ad,  to  obey  and  fuffer  in  our  Room,  that  thro* 
his  Obedience  and  Sufferings  we  might  have  Pardon  and 
eternal  Life.  And  from  this  Fad  v/e  may  be  affured,  that 
God  has  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority  to  conllitute 
one  to  ftand  and  ad  in  the  Room  of  another.  And  if  he 
has  fuch  Authority,  nothing  hinders  but  that  he  might 
conftitute  Adam  to  be  our  publick  Head,  as  has  been  faid. 
Befides,  if  we  confider  the  Nature  of  the  Thing  it  felf,  it 
is  plain  that  God  had  Power  to  conftitute  Adam  our  pub- 
lick Head.  For  God  as  moral  Governour  of  the  WorM 
and  fovcreign  Lord  of  all  Things  has  Power  to  make  any 

Conftitution 


^{266       True  Religion  ddi7ie.aied        Dis.  H. 

Conftitution  whatfcever,  which  does  in  it's  own  Nature 
agree  to  the  eternal  Fitnefs  of  Things,  or  in  other  Words, 
which  is  agreeable  to  his  own  Perfections.  But .  all  will 
grantjthat  Conftitution  is  agreeable  to  his  own  Perfedions, 
which,  in  its  own  Nature  is  fuitedto  the  Glory  of  God  and 
Good  of  the  Creatures.  Now  this  Conftitution  with  Adam 
was  in  its  own  Nature  fuited  to  the  general  Good  of  Man- 
kind, becaufe  the  Welfare  of  Mankind  was  in  the  Nature 
of  the  Thing  fafer  and  better  fecured  upon  fuch  a  Foot, 
than  if  every  fmgle  Child  of  Adam  had  been  left  in  a  State 
of  pure  Nature  without  any  Conftitution  at  all,  or  than  if 
they  had  every  one  been  put  to  a£t  fingly  for  himfelf :  as 
has  been  before  proved.  And  it  was  well  fuited  to  the 
Glory  of  God,  becaufe  in  that  Conftitution,  confidered  in 
it's  own  Nature,  God  eminently  appeared  to  be  what  he 
was.  For  in  it  he  appeared  as  the  MOST  HIGH  GOD, 
the  SUPREME  LORD  and  SOVEREIGN  COVER- 
NOUR  of  the  whole  World  ;  for  in  it  he  a6led  2iS,  fovereign 
Lcrd  of  his  Creatures,  as  being  by  Nature  God,  and  as  hav- 
ing an  ahfcliite  Right  to  and  Authority  over  the  Works  of 
his  Flands.  And  when  God  adls  fo,  as  by  his  Condud  to 
ftiew  what  he  is,  then  are  his  Doings  fuited  to  his  own 
Glory  ;  for  nothing  is  more  to  his  Glory,  than  to  appear  to 
be  what  he  is.  And  in  as  much  as  the  Conftitution  it  felf 
was  v;ell  fuited  to  the  general  Good  of  Mankind,  God  did, 
in  making  of  it,  a6l  a  kind  and  tender  Part  towards  the 
human  Race,  to  the  Honour  and  Glory  of  his  Goodnefs. 
And  while  eternal  Life  was  promifed  to  perfect  Obedience, 
and  eternal  Death  threatned  toDifobedience,  God's  infinite 
Love  to  Vertue  and  infiniteHatred  of  Vice  were  manifefted, 
to  the  Glory  of  his  Holinefs  and  Jufticc.  Since  then  that 
Conftitution  was  thus,  in  it's  own  Nature,  fuited  to  our 
Good  and  God's  Glory  ;  there  is  no  doubt  but  the  fove- 
reign  Lord  and  Governour  of  all  Things,  had  full  Power 
and  rightful  Authority,  fo  to  appoint  :  for  in  fo  doing,  he 
would  ad  agreeable  to  his  own  Perfedions,  and  the  eternal 
Fitnefs  of  Thinsfs. 

BUT  TO  CONCLUDE,  Wc  may  be  abundantly 
fatisfied,  not  only  from  the  Nature  of  the  Thing,  but  alfo 
from  what  God  has  in  Fa^  done,  that  that  Conftitution  wa5 

holy. 


.  and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits,   267 

holy,  juft  and  Good,  and  that  he  had  full  Power  and  right- 
ful Authority  to  do  as  he  did,  becaufe  otherwife  he  would 
never  have  done  lb  •,  he  would  never  have  made  fuch  a 
Conftitution.  It  is  plain  and  evident  from  Fa5ls^  that 
Adam  was  confidered  and  dealt  with  under  the  Capacity 
of  a  publick  Head,  and  that  Death  natural^  fpiritual  and 
eternal  were  included  in  the  Threatning ;  for  all  his  Pofte- 
rity  are  evidently  dealt  With  juft  as  if  that  bad  been  the  Cafe. 
They  are  born  fpiritually  dcad^  as  has  been  proved  in  the 
former  Difcourfe.  They  are  evidently  liable  to  natural 
Death.,  as  foon  as  they  are  born.  And  if  they  die  and  go 
into  Eternity  with  their  native  Temper, they  muft  necefla- 
rily  be  miferable,  in  being  what  they  are,  unlike  to  God  and 
uncapable  of  the  Enjoyment  of  him,  and  contrary  to  him. 
And  God  muft  neceftarily  look  upon  them  with  everlafting 
Abhorrence  •,  for  he  cannot  but  abhor  Creatures  whofe 
Tempers  are  contrary  to  him.  So  that  here  is  eternal  Death, 
And  all  in  Confequence  of  Adam's  hrft  Sin. 

Now  then,  if  indeed  we  are  in  Fatf  dealt  with  juft  as  we 
fhould  have  been,  had  Adam  been  our  publick  Head,  there 
can  furely  need  no  farther  Evidence  to  prove  that  this  was 
the  Cafe  •,  for  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  cannot  but  do  Right  : 
And  therefore  he  would  not  deal  with  us  as  being  guilty 
of  Adam's  firft  Sin,  were  not  Adam  our  Reprefentative. 
But  had  Adam  been  our  Reprefentative,  and  his  firft  Sin 
imputed  to  us  ;  yet  then  we  (hould  have  been  dealt  with  no 
otherwife  than  no'uj  we  •,  are  i.  e.  On  Suppofition  of  the  In- 
terpofition  of  a  Mediator,  as  is  now  the  Cafe.  For  that  we 
are  now  born  into  the  World  fubjed:  to  natural  Death^nonQ 
can  deny,  and  this  by  Virtue  of  Admn's  firft  Sin  :  And  if 
we  are  really  fpiritually  dead  too,  and  fo  expoled  to  eternal 
Death.,  'tis  juft  what  might  have  been  expected,  had  Adam 
ftood  for  us ;  and  fo  there  is  no  more  to  be  faid.  And  if 
God  be  fuch  a  Bein^,  as  I  fuppofe  he  is,  and  the  Law  fuch, 
and  the  Nature  of  true  Hoiinefs  fuch  •,  then,  as  has  been 
fnewn  in  t\it  firft  Difcourfe^  there  is  no  doubt  we  are  native^^ 
ly  fpiritually  dead.  So  that  the  Force  of  this  Argument 
depends  upon  the  Truth  of  thofe  firft  Principles,  which,  I 
think,  have  been  fufficiently  proved.  Right  Apprehenfions 
of  the  moral  Law  will  at  once  convince  us  of  our  inherent 

natural 


268       Irue  ReUgmt  delineated      Dis.  IL 

natural  Corruption,  and  make  us  feel  that  we  are  fallen 
Creatures. 

Remark.  Perhaps  this  is  the  Confiderationjwhich  moll 
commonly  firft  leads  poor  Sinners  to  fee,  that  they  do  a6tu- 
ally  lie  under  the  Guilt  of  Adam\  firft  Sin  •,  and  that  their 
Ruin  thence  took  its  Rife,  viz.  their  finding  by  Experi- 
ence, when  the  Spirit  of  God  brings  home  the  Law  and 
awakens  Confcience,  that  they  are  by-  Nature  dead  in  Tref- 
pajfes  and  Sins  :  for  now  no  Conclufion  can  be  more  natu- 
ral, than  that  they  are  by  Nature  Children  offVrath.  And 
this  will  naturally  lead  tliem  to  enquire,  Whence  this  has 
comes  to  pafs  ?  and  they  will  prefeatly  find  the  Scripture 
exprefs  and  plaiii  in  it,  that  hy  one  Man^s  Difobedience,  many 
"jjere  made  Sinners  ;  and  by  the  Offence  of  one.,  Judgment 
came  upon  all  to  Condemnation  :  and  their  own  Experience 
will  give  them  the  moft  natural  Comment  upon  the  Words, 
w^hile  they  feel  themfelvcs  to  be  by  Nature  dead  in  Sin  and 
expofed  to  eternal  Ruin.  But  now,  "  How  could  I  juftly 
"  have  all  this  come  upon  me  for  Adam's  firft  Sin  ?"  will 
naturally  be  the  nextThought.  And  an  awakened  Confci- 
ence will  perhaps  firft  of  all  reply,  "  How  it  is  juft  &  right 
**  I  cannot  teil,but  I  am  certain  fo  it  is,  that  I  am  byNature 
*'  dead  in  Sin,&  byNature  aChild  of  Wrath.  This  I  fee  and 
"  feel.  And  the  Scripture  fays,that  by  oneMan^s  Bifobedience 
"  majiy  were  fnade  Sinners  ;  and  that  for  the  Offence  of  one 
*'  Judgment  came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation.  AndGod's 
"  Ways  muft  be  righteous,  for  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth 
"  always  does  right.  And  if  I  do  finally  perifh,  I  have 
"  nothing  to  fay  •,  for  I  have  gone  in  Adam's  Steps,  I 
*'  have  been  voluntary  in  my  Rebellion  againft  God  all 
"  my  Life,  and  am  at  Heart  an  Enemy  to  him  ftill,  and 
"  that  voluntarily  fo."  And  this  may  in  a  Meafure  fllence 
fuch  a  poor  Sinner  for  the  prefent.  But  if  ever  he  comes 
to  be  reconcird  to  the  divine  Nature,  and  then  impartially 
to  look  into  the  original  Conftitution,  he  may  then  fee  that 
it  was  in  it's  own  Nature,  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  worthy 
of  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  *,  and  as  fuch 
fweetly  acquiefce  in  it :  faying,  *'  God's  Ways  were  holy, 
"  juft  and  good,  and  blefled  be  his  Name  ;  but  to  us  (to 
'*  allche  him\n  Race  J  belQn2:s  Sham^  and  (Jonfufion  of 

'^  ^       «  Face 


and  dijlingutjhed from  all  Count erjeits.   269 

"  Face,  for  that  we  have  finned."  Bat  until  Men  arc  a- 
wakened,  at  lead  to  foine  Senfe  of  their  natural  Corrup- 
tion, they  are  commonly  very  blind  and  deaf  to  all  the 
Scripture  fays  about  this  Matter.  It  is  hard  to  make  Mea~. . 
believe  contrary  to  then-  own  Experience  -,  to  make  them 
believe  that  x\\ty  fell  in  Adam^vflicn  they  don't  feel  that  they 
are  by  Nature  fallen  Creatures.  Let  the  Scripture  fpeak 
ever  fo  plain,  yet  they  cannot  believe  that  it  means  as  it  fays. 
It  mull  mean,  they  think,  Ibmcthing  elfe.  The  beft  Me- 
thod therefore  to  convince  Sinners  of  the  Do(5lrine  of  origi- 
nal (imputed)  Sin,  and  to  filence  all  their  Cavils,  is  to  open 
the  true  Meaning  of  the  7noral  Law^  and  fhew  them  their 
native  Depravity.  This  is  the  Method  which  God  takes  in 
the  Bible.  He  fays  but  Utile  about  Jdam's  firft  Sin,  but 
fays  much  to  fhev/  us  v/hat  v/e  really  are,  as  knowing  that 
if  we  are  but  once  convinced  of  our  nativeCorruption,  a  few 
Words  are  fuHieient  to  Ihcw  us  whence  our  Ruin  originally 
took  it's  Rife. 

Thus,  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  in  the 
Gofpel-Difpenfation,  confidered  Mankind  as  being  in  a  pe- 
riihing  Condition,  fmful,  guilty,  juilly  condemned,  help-  - 
lefs  and  undone  ;  and  one  Ground  andReafon  of  his  look- 
ing upon  Mankind  to,  be  in  fuch  a  Condition,  was  our 
original  Apoftacy  from  him  in  our  iiril  Parents.  And 
fince  that  Conftitution,  whereby  ylda?n  was  made  our  com- 
mon Head  and  publick  Reprefentative,  was  holy,  jufl:  and 
good  in  its  own  Nature  ;  and  fmce  God  the  fupreme  Lord 
of  all  Things  had  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority  fo  to 
ordain  and  appomt  -,  hence  therefore  he  has  fufficient  Rea- 
fon  to  look  upon  Mankind,  on  Account  of  this  firft  Apof- 
ucy,  as  he  does. 

Therefore  at  the  fame  Time  he  provided  a  Saviour  for 
j^damy  at  the  fame  Time  did  he  alio  provide  a  Saviour  for  -* 
hisPofterity  too  •,  they  being  confidered  as  one  with  him  and  '^ 
involved  in  the  fame  Sin  and  Guilt  and  Ruin  -,  and  foftand- 
ing  in  equal  Need  of  Relief.  Hence  Chrift  is  called  the 
hamhjlain  from  the  Foundation  of  the  Word,  Then  was  it 
{aid,  that  the  Seed  of  theJVoman  fball  bruife  the  Serpent's  Head, 
To  which  original  Grant  ourSaviour  fcems  to  hav  eRefped, 
when  he  fays,  God  fo  loved  the  Wcrld^   that  he  GAVE  his- 

crrj 


2^70  T^rut  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

mly  begotten  Son^  &c.  Whereas,  had  Adam-2i6x.tdi  in  the  Ca- 
pacity of  a  private  Ferfon,  and  fmned  and  fallen  tor  him- 
leif  alone,  and  his  Potleritiy  not  been  involved  in  the  fame 
Ruin  ;  Adnm  might  have  had  a  Saviour  provided  for  him  : 
But  his  Pollerity  would  no  more  have  needed  one,  than  the 
Angels  in  Heaven,  or  than  Adam  before  his  Fall. 

Obj.  But  thofe  tVords^  In  the  Day  thou  eateft  thereof, 
thou  Ihalt  furely  die.  Gen.  2.  17.  were  ei:ide.ntiy  fpokcn  ordy 
to  Adam,  nor  is  there  a  Word  f aid  about  his  Pojterity  having 
any  Inter  eft  or  Concern  in  the  Affair. 

Ans.  So  alfo  were  thofeWords  in  Gen.  3.19.  Duft  thou 
art^  and  unto  Duft  ftoalt  thou  return^  fpoken  only  to  Adam 
without  the  leaft  Intimation  that  his  Poflerity  were  any  of 
them  included  in  the  Sentence.  And  yet  by  Yertue  of  that 
Sentence,  all  his  Pofterity  are  fubjed:  to  Death.  Ro7n.  5.12, 
13,  14.  Do  you  account  for  this,  and  you  will  at  the  fame 
Time  account  for  that :  For  the  Truth  is,  that  in  bothCafes 
Adam  was  confidered  not  m^crely  as  a  fingle  privatePerfon, 
but  as  a  publick  Head  and  Reprefentative,  ftanding  in  the 
Room  of  all  h's  Pofterity.  And  confidered  in  thisCapacity, 
was  he  threatned  with  Deuth  in  Cafe  he  fmned  ;  and  consi- 
dered in  this  Capacity,  was  natural  Death  denounced  upon 
him  after  his  Fall.  So  that  in  both,  his  Pofterity  were  e- 
qually  included.  And  therefore  St.Paul  calls  Adam  a  Tyfe 
of  Chrift.  Ro?n.  5.  14.  And  calls  Chrift  the  fecond  Adam, 
I  Cor,  15.  45.  Becaufe  both  thefe,  by  the  Authority  of  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World,  were  conftituted  publick 
Perfons,  to  acl  in  the  Behalf  of  Mankind.  And  all  Man- 
kind were  fo  included  m  them,  that  St.  Paul  fpcaks  as  if 
there  had  been  but  only  thefe  two  Men,  Adam  and  Chrift, 
I  Cor.  15.  47.  ^he  fir  ft  Man  is  of  the  Earthy  earthy  :  The 
fecondManis  the  Lord  from  Heaven, 

2,  God  the  fupreme  Ruler  of  the  World  does  in  the 
Gofpel  confidcr  Mankind  as  being  in  a  perifhingCondition, 
not  only  on  the  Account  of  their  original  Apoftacy  in 
Adam,,  their  common  Head  and  Reprefentative  j  but  alfo 
becaufe  they  are^  what  they  are^  in  thevzf elves,  (i.)  Deftitutc 
of  the  divine  Image.  (2.)  Contrary  to  God  in  the  Tem- 
per of  their  Hearts.  ("3.)  Utterly  averfe  to  a  Reconcilia- 
tion.    (4.)  In  a  Difpofition,  if  unicftrained,  to  live  in  all 

open 


and  di/iinguybedfrom  allCowtterfeits   2'f\ 

open  Rebellion  againft  the  Majefty  of  Heaven  before  his 
Face.  (5.;  And  yet  infcnfibie  of  their  juft  Defert  and  of 
their  Need  of  fovereign  Grace  •,  and  ready  rather  to,  think 
it  a  cruel  Thing,  if  God  Hiould  dainn  them.  » 

(i .)  Gcd  faw  Adankind  dejtitiite  of  bis  moral  Image.  For 
being  confcious  of  the  holy  Temper  of  his  own  Heart,  of 
the  holy  Fropenfity  of  his  own  Nature  i  and  being  confci- 
ous to  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts,  to  the  Propenfity  of 
their  Nature  ;  at  firfi  View,  he  faw  what  they  were.  God 
looked  down  from  Heaveri  upon  the  Children  cf  Men^  to  fee  if 
there  were  any  that  did  under  ft  and^  that  did  feek  God,  Every 
one  of  them  is  gene  back^  they  are  altogether  become  filthy  ; 

there  is  none  that  doth  Good,  no,  not  one.  Pfai.  .^3-  2.  3. . 

He  fav/  Mankind  deflitute  of  aConformity  to  his  hoIyLaw. 
The  Law  requires  Mankind  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to 
him  ultimately,  and  delight  in  him  fuperlatively,  and  to 
love  one  another  as  their  own  Souls  :  But  he  looked  down 
from  Heaven,  he  beheld,  and  lo,  all  the  human  Race 
were  entirely  devoid  of  that  Temper.  None  were  in  a 
Dilpofition  to  account  him.  infmitely  glorious  in  beino-what 
he  was.  Notx)nehad  the  leaft  Relifh  or  Tafte  for  the 
Beauty  of  his  moral  Perfe^ions.  Every  Heart  empty  of 
holy  Love,  and  holy  Delight,  and  devoid  of  any  true  Spirit 
or  Principle  of  Obedience.  And  all  Mankind  had  loft  that 
Frame  ot  Spirit  towards  one  another,  which  they  ouo-ht  to 
have.     The  whole  World  lay  in  Ruin. 

He  knew,  his  Law  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  that  his 
Creature  Man  was  under  infinite  Obligations  to  a  perfect 
Conformity  thereto.  He  faw  what  Grounds  there  were  for 
the  Law,  and  what  Reafons  for  their  Obedience.  He  faw 
his  own  infinite  Excellency,  and  his  original,  underived, 
entire  Right  to  them,  and  was  confcious  to  his  rightful 
Authority  over  them.  Fie  judged  them  infinite^  to  Blame 
for  their  Non-Conformity,  and  worthy  of  an  infinite  Pu- 
nifhment.  Speaking  after  the  Manner  of  Men,  he  did,  in, 
the  inward  Temper  of  his  Heart,  perfedly  approve  of 
thofe  Words  in  Gal.  3.  10.  as  being  ftrictly  juft,,  Curfedis 
every  one:,  that  continueth  not  in  all  Things  written  in  theBook 

oftheLaw^todothem. Therefore  he  looked  o^Mankind 

in  a  periftiing  Condition.         But, 

(2.)  He 


272       T'rue  Religion  delimatid       Dis.  II. 

(l.)  Heviswed  Mankind  not  only  dejiittite  of  Good^  hut 
full  of  Evil.  Not  only  void  of  true  Love  to  God  and  to 
one  another,  but  Enemies  to  God  and  living  in  Malice  and 
Envy  among  themfelves.  He  looked  down  from  Heaven 
and  viewed  a  guilty  World,  and  faw  their  Contrariety  to 
his  Nature  and  to  his  Law.  Confcious  of  his  own  divine 
Temper,  he  faw  every  contrary  Temper  in  them.  What 
he  efteems,  they  defpife.  What  he  delights  in,  they  loath. 
The  End  which  he  profecutes,  they  oppofe.  And  they 
efteem  and  delight  in  that  which  is  contrary  to  him,  and 
profecute  Ends  and  Defigns  contrary  to  his.  He,  faw  their 
Views,  their  Tempers,  their  Wills,  their  Ends,Defignsand 
Ways,  were  all  contrary  to  him,  and  diametrically  oppofite 
to  his  Law.  He  confidered  them  as  his  Enemies,  and  their 
Tempers  as  perfed  Enmity  and  Contrariety  to  the  divine 
Nature.  Rom.  8.  7. 

C3  J  And  in  as  much  as  he  thus  faw  them  entirely  de- 
ftitute  of  Love  to  him,  and  diametrically  contrary  to  the 
divine  Nature  in  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts,  He  knew  they 
would  have  yio  Inclination  to  a  Reconciliation  to  God  \  hut 
would  he  naturally  averfe  to  it.  He  knew,  their  Avcrfion  to 
a  Reconciliation  would  be  as  ftrong  as  their  Contrariety  to 
the  divine  Nature,  from  which  it  took  it's  Rile.  He  faw 
that  if  he  Ihould  attempt  to  reclaim  them,  he  Ihould  only 
meet  with  Refiftancc.  That  if  he  ihould  fpread  the  News 
of  Pardon  and  Peace  thro'  a  guilty  World,  and  invite  them 
to  return  and  be  reconciled,  that  they  would  make  light  of 
it  and  defpife  it.  That  if  he  Ihould  fend  McfTengers  after 
them,  to  perfwade  them  to  return  and  befcech  them  to  be 
reconciled,  that  they  would  put  many  of  them  to  Death. 
He  faw  juft  what  Treatment,  the  Prophets,  and  Chrift,  and 
his  Apoftlcs  were  like  to  meet  with.  He  knew  not  one  in 
all  the  World  would  repent  and  convert,  unlefs  brought 
thereto  by  his  own  almighty  Arm,  and  all-conquering 
Grace.  Mat,  21.  3^ — 39.  Rom.  8.  7.  i  Cor,'^.  6.  7. 

(4.J  Tea^fo  far  from  a  Difpofttion  to  repent  and  ccirvert^ 
that.,  if  left  wholly  to  themfelves  unrefirainedy  no  fVickednefs 
would  be  too  bad  for  them.  All  would  aft  as  bad  as  Cain^ 
Manaffeh^  or  Judas  •,  and  the  whole  human  Race  be  like^ 

many 


and dijima^mjhed'from  all  Counterfeits.  273 

many  incarniite  Devils  :  they  having  the  Seed  of  all  Sin  in 
their  Hearts.  Mar.   7.21,22. 

('5.)  And  yet  infenfible  of  their  Sin  and  Guilt  and  juft  De^ 
fert^  iiml  that  they  lie  merely  at  the  fovereign  Mercy  of  Gody 
and  that  he  is  at  Liberty  to  Jhew  Mercy ^  or  not^  as  feems  good 
in  his  Sight.  Yea,  fo  averfe  to  the  Knowledge  of  this  their 
true  State,  as  to  be  difpofed  to  hate  the  Light  and  fhut 
t!\eir  Eyes  againft  it,  ready  to  refift  all  Methods  of  Con- 
viclion.  Yea,  that  fome  would  be  even  fo  perverfe,  as 
actually  to  rife  in  Arms  againft  his  Meflengers,  who  endea- 
voured to  lliew  them  their  Ruin  and  the  Way  of  their  Re- 
covery, and  put  them  to  Death,  as  not  fit  to  live  :  and 
yet  lb  ftupid,  as  to  think,  that  in  all  they  did  God  good 
Service.  And  that  in  general,  a  great  Out-cry  would  be 
-jailed,  round  a  proud  and  guilty  World,  againft  the  Lord, 
for  fuppofing  Mankind  to  be  in  fo  bad,  lb  very  forlorn  an 
Eftate.  God  knew  the  Pride  of  Man,  that  he  is  exceeding 
proud  ;  and  faw  how  great  Offence  would  be  given  to  a 
guilty  World,  who  would  by  no  Means  endure  to  be  fo 
affronted.  Joh.  3.  19,  20.  ^  8.  33.  47. 

N6W,  fuch  were  the  Grounds  upon  which  God  looked 
upon  the  human  Race  in  a  perilhing  Condition  ;  finful, 
guilty,  juftly  condemned,  helplefs  and  undone.  And  con- 
fidering  that  tlie  original  Conftitution  with  Adam^  accord- 
ing to  which  lie  and  all  his  Pofterity  were  doomed  to  De- 
ftrudion,  in  Cafe  he  fell,  was  holy,  juft  and  good  ;  and 
confidering  tliat  the  Law  of  Nature,  which  all  Mankind  are 
naturally  under,  and  according  to  which  the  leaft  Sin  cx- 
pofes  to  eternal  Damnation,  is  alfo  holy,  juft  and  good ; 
and  confidering  our  Apoftacy  in  Adam^  and  what  we  be  in 
our  felves  .  I  lay,  confidering  all  thefe  Things,  it  is  moft 
certain  and  evident,  that  the  Judgment  of  God  was  ac- 
cording to  Truth,  while  he  efteemed  Mankind  to  be  thus 
in  a  perilhing  Condition. 

That  Mankind  are  actually  of  fuch  a  Nature,  has  been 
demonftrated  in  xh^  former  Bifcourfe.  That  God,  whofe 
Underftanding  is  infinite,  and  who  fees  all  Things  as  being 
what  they  really  are,  muft  therefore  now  fee  Mankind  to  be 
fuch,  is  felf-evident.  And  fuch  as  he  new  fees  them  tt)  be, 
/u<b  he  from  tlie  Beginning  knew  they  "would  be.     It  is  evi- 

T  dent 


274  T^rue  Religion  deli?ieated      Dis.  II. 

dent  therefore,  a  priori^  that  God  mufl  have  confidered 
Mankind  to  be  fuch^  when  he  firil  entred  upon  hisDefigns 
of  Grace  revealed  in  the  Gofpel. — And  if  we  confider  tlie 
Nature  of  the  Gofpel,  and  v/hat  Methods  God  has  taken 
widi  a  finful,  guilty  World  to  reclaim  and  recover  them,  and 
how  they  have  behaved  under  all ;  it  will-  be  frill  more  evi- 
dent that  Mankind  are  verily  in  fuch  a  Cafe.  ThcLaw,the 
Gofpel,  and  Experience,  all  join  to  confirm  it. 

Had  not  the  Gofpel  confidered  us,  as  being  entirely  de- 
void of  the  divine  Image,  deftitute  of  any  fpi ritual  good 
Thing,  blind,  dead,  gracelefs  •,  why  fliould  it  fo  much  urge 
the  NecefTity  of  our  being  born  cigain^  made  new  Creatwes^ 
having  our  Eyes  opened^  being  rat  fed  from  the  Dead^  being 
created  a-new  to  good  JVcrks^  and  having  the  Law  written  in 
cur  Hearts^  the  Heart  of  Stone  took  away^  and  an  Heart  of 
Flefh  given? —  Had  not  the  Gofpel  confidered  us,  as 
htmg  Enemies  to  God -y  why  fliould  it  invite  us  to  be 
reconciled  ?  —  Had  not  the  Gofpel  confidered  us  as  being 
'very  averfe  to  a  Reconciliation  •,  why  iliould  it  pray  and 
befeech  us  with  fo  much  Earneftnefs  and  Solemmiy  to  be  re- 
conciled, and  ufey^  many  Arguments  ? — Had  no:  the  Gof- 
pel confidered  our  Reconciliation,  as  unattainable  by  the 
moft  powerful  Arguments,  of  themfelves  -,  why  fnould  it 
declare  that  after  all,  neither  Paul  nor  Apollos^  nor  CephaSy 
are  any  Thing,  or  can  do  any  Thing,  unlefs  God  himfelf 
give  the  Increafe  ? — And  were  we  not  Enemies  to  God,and 
Rebels,  and  inveterate  haters  of  the  Light,  and  difpofed  to 
rife  in  Arms  againfl  it,  why  fhould  Chrift  tell  his  Mini- 
Iters,  I  fend  you  fcrth  as  Sheep  among  JVclves  \  if  they  have 
called  the  Mafler  of  the  Houfe  Beelzebub,  no  zvc7ider  they  call 
youfo',youfhallbe  hated  of  allMenfor  7nyNa7ne^sfake\  they  that 
kill  you^will  think  they  do  God  good  Service  ?  That  Generation 
tho't  as  well  of  themfelves  as  the  prefent  Generation  now  on 
Earth  does,  and  were  ready  to  fpcak  thei'ameLanguage,and 
{3,Y,If  we  had  lived  intheDays  of  ourFathcrs^  wewouldnothave 
killed  the  Prophets  ;  but  Chrift  knew  their  Hearts.  —  And 
had  not  Mankind,  on  thefe  Accounts,  been  confidered, 
as  in  a  perilling  Condition  ;  finful,  guilty,  juftly  con- 
demned, helplefs  and  undone,  why  was  there  provided  fuch 
a  Rdwner^  ^iidfuch  a  San^i^cr  ?  And  why  was  the  Sal- 
vation 


and diftlngtiipjcd f7^07n  all  Cotmterfeits.  275 

vation  of  Sinners  every  where  rcpreicnted,  as  being  fo  en- 
tirely owing  to  the  Grace,  the  mere  Grace,  the  free  ailcnifn- 
ing,  wonderful  Grace  of  God  from  firil  to  laft  ?  Surely 
from  all  this,  moftccrtaia  and  evident  it  is,  that  God  does 
in  the  Gcfpcl,  upon  thefe  Grounds,  confider  Mankind,  as 
being  in  a  periiliing  Condition  :  And  upon  thefe  Grounds 
we  muil  therefore  come  to  confider  our  felves  fo  too,  or  we 
can  nc\  er  be  in  a  Difpofition,  humbly  and  thankfully  to 
accept  the  Grace  oficred,  and  return  home  to  God  in  the 
Way  provided.  We  ihall  rather  be  affronted,  that  the 
Gofpel  fuppofes  lis  to  be  in  fo  bad  a  Condition  ;  or  elfe  ne- 
ver '[o  much  as  take  Matters  into  ferious  Confideration,  but 
do  as  thofe  invited  to  the  Marriage  of  the  King's  Son  in 
Mat.  22.  5.  '^'hc.y  made  light  of  it^  and  njoeyit  their  Way s^  one 
to  his  Farm^  another  to  his  Merchandife. —  I  do  but  juft  hint 
at  thefe  Things  now,  becaufe  they  have  been  fo  largely  in- 
filled upon  heretofore.  —  And  thus  we  fee  upon  what 
Grounds  it  is,  that  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,does 
in  the  Gofpel,  confider  Mankind  as  being  in  a  perilhing 
Condition. 

Section      II. 
Shewing   whence   God\   Dejig^t  of  Mercy 

towa?^ds  a  perijhiftg  World  originally  took 

it's  Rise. 

I  proceed  now, 

II.  To  fhew.  What  were  the  Motives^  which  have  excited 
God  to  do  what  he  has  done^  for  the  E.ecovery  of  Simiers^  out 
of  this  their  perifhing  Condition.      And 

I.  It  was  not  becaufe  the  original Cot{ftitution  with  Adam 
our  publick  Head  and  Reprefentative^  was  too  fevere :  It  was 
not  becaufe  it  would  have  been  hard  and  crucl^  or  in  the  leajt 
inccnfiiient  with  his  infinite  Goodnefs  and  tender  Mercies^  to 
have  left  all  Mankind  in  that  State  of  total  Ruin^  they  were 
brought  into  by  the  Fall  For  had  not  that  Conftitution 
been  in  it's  ownNature  holy,juft  &  good,  and  fo  moftper- 
feftly  agreeable  to  his  ov/n  Nature,  to  his  Holinefs,  Juftice 
and  Goodnefs,  he  would  never  have  made  it  :  For  he  ne- 
ceflarily  infinitely  abhors,  in  his  publick  Conduft,  to  aft 
counter  to  the  inward  Temper  of  his  Heart.    For  the  very 

T  2  Reaf^n 


276        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

Reafon  that  he  loves  himfelf  tor  being  what  he  is,  for  the 
lame  Reafon  he  loves  to  ad:  like  himfelf  and  infinitely  ab- 
hors the  contrary. And  if  that  Conftitution  was  holy, 

juft  and  good  in  it*s  own  Nature  originally,  it  muft  remain 
fo  ilill  ;  for  Adam's  Apoilacy,  together  with  ail  the  dread- 
ful Confequences  thereof,  could  not  alter  its  Nature.  The 
Conftitution  is  perfedly  as  excellent  as  if  Adam  had 
never  fallen  ;  perfectly  as  Good  as  if  it  had  been  theMeans 
of  laying  a  Foundation  for  the  everlafting  BlelTednefs  of  all 
the  human  Race  ;  for  it  is,  what  it  was.  It  was  excel- 
lently well  calculated  for  the  Glory  of  God  and  the  Wel- 
fare of  Mankind  in  it's  own  Nature  \  and  therefore  God 
made  it,  approved  of  it,  was  well  pleafed  with  it,  nor  can 
he  ever  alter  his  Mind  about  it  :  for  it  is  in  it  felf  jull  the 

fam.e  it  was  at  firft And  if  it  was  holy,  juft  and  good 

in  it's  own  Nature,  and  if  it  remains  fo  ftill ;  if  the  Ho- 
linefs,  Juftice  and  Goodncfs  of  his  Nature  prompted  him 
at  firft  to  make  it,  and  then  to  approve  of  it,  and  be  per- 
feftly  well  pleafed  with  it  •,  it  could  not  ( 'tis  felf-evident ) 
pofTibly  have  been  in  the  leaft  difagreeable  to  his  Holinefs, 
Juftice  or  Goodnefs,  to  have  dealt  with  all  Mankind  fince 
the  Fall  according  to  it.  So  that,  to  a  Demonftration, 
God'sThoughts  ofMercy  towards  a  guilty,  undone  World, 
did  not  in  any  Meafure  take  their  Rife  from  any  Notion 
that  Mankind  had  been  hardly  dealt  with,  or  that  it  would 
be  any  Thing  like  Cruelty  and  Unmercifulnef«^,to  damn  the 
v/hole  World  for  Adam's  firft  Sin,  according  to  the  Tenour 

of  the  original  Conftitution. Indeed,  to  fuppofe  fuch  a 

Thing,  highly  refledls  upon  that  Conftitution,  and  upon 
God  for  ever  making  of  it.  It  fuppofes,  the  Conftitution 
was  never  really  holy,  iuft   and  good  in  it's  osvn  Nature, 

and  that  God  did  v/rong  in  making  of  it. And  the 

Riches  and  Glory  of  Gofpel- Grace  are  wholly  obfcured  ; 
for  God  cannot  be  confidered  as  difovereign  Benefa^or  ihew- 
ing  undeferved  Mercy  to  a  guilty,  HcU-deferving  World  ; 
blit  rather  as  repenting  for  the  Injury  he  has  done  to  Man- 
kind, and  as  endeavouring  to  make  amends  for  it  by  a 
better,  a  jufter  and  kinder  Condudl  for  theTime  to  come. — 
And  if  this  were  the  Cafe,  all  his  Pretences,  his  high  Pre- 
f  eaces,  to  great  Love  and  GoQdnefs,  to  great  Kindnefs  and 

Grace, 


and  dijiinguip  edfro?n  all  Counterfeits.   277 

Grace,  are  hypocritical  and  a  mere  mocking  of  us.  He 
had  abufed  and  injured  us,  and  is  now  but  repenting  and 
making  Rejiitution  ;  and  ought  therefore  to  have  faid  fo,  and 
not  pretended  he  did  all  from  mere  Grace^  which  is  to  af- 
front us,  and  make  as  if  that  Conflitution  was  holy,  juft 
and  good,  and  we  righteoufly  condemned  and  juftly  mife- 

rable  for  ever. So  that  let  us   view  the  Cafe  in  what 

Light  we  will,  it  is  moft  evident  and  certain,  that  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World  confidered  Mankind  as  being 
righteoufly  condemned  and  liable  to  everlafting  Deftruc- 
tion,  confillent  with  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature  ; 
nor  did  a  Thought  of  Pity  ever  enter  into  his  Heart  from 

the  contrary  Suppofition. Yea,  it  feems  to  have  been 

his  very  Defign  to  maintain  the  Honour  of  that  Conftitu- 
tion,  while  he  fhews  Mercy  to  a  guilty  World,  in  as  much 
as  he  has  appointed  another  publick  Perfon,  his  ow^n  dear 
Son,  to  make  Atonement  for  our  original  Apoftacy,  as  well 
as  our  other  Sins,  that  hereby  a  Way  for  his  Mercy  might 
be  opened.  Rom.  5.  18,  19. 

2.  Nor  did  God's  Defigns  of  Mercy  towards  a  guilty, 
undone  World  take  their  Rife  from  a  Suppcjition  that  the 
Law  of  Nature^  which  all  Mankind  are  naturally  under ^  is 
too  [ever e^  in  requiring  per fe^  Obedience  and  threatning  eternal 
Damnation  for  the  very  leaJiDefe5f -y  (Rom.  i.  18.  Gal.  3.10.) 
or  from  any  Stippofttio^i.,  that  it  would  have  been  any  Thing 
like  Cruelty  orUnmercifulnefs^  to  have  dealt  with  all  Mankind 
according  to  that  Rule. 

To  explain  my  felf,  I  may  juft  obferve,  that  the  original 
Conflitution  with  Adam.,  as  publick  Head,  {Gen.  2.  ly.) 
was  a  pofitive  Appointment.  After  he  was  turned  out  of 
the  Garden  he  ceafed  to  fuflain  the  Charadler  or  Capacity 
of  a  publick  Perfon,  nor  are  his  Poflerity  accountable  for 
any  but  his  firfl  Tranfgreflion.  But  the  Law  of  Nature 
refults  from  the  Nature  of  Things,  from  God's  being  what 
he  is  in  himfelf  and  from  our  being  what  we  are,  &  he  our 
Creator  and  we  hisCreatures.  And  it  was  binding  in  order 
of  Nature  antecedent  to  any  pofitive  Conftitution  whatfo- 
ever  :  nor  is  it's  binding  Nature  capable  of  any  Difftlution. 
We  might  have  obtained  Life, according  to  theConflitution 
made  with  Adam^  had  he  kept*  Covenant  with  God  ;  and 

T  3  b.  :. 


278 


True  Religio7t  delineated       Dis.  II, 


been  confirmed  in  a  State  of  Holinefs  and  Happinefs  ;  fo 
now  we  may  olptain  Life  by  Jefus  Chrift,  who  has  fulfilled 
the  Law   of  Nature   and   made  Attonement  for  all  Sin  : 
But  the  Law  of  Nature  ftill  remains  an  unalterable  Rule  of 
FUghteoufnefs  between  God  and  his  Creature  Man.     We 
©we  perled:  Obedience  to  God,  and  the  lead  Sin  deferves 
eternal  Damnation.     And  God  might  always  have  ^dcalt 
with  Mankind,  fimply  according  to  this  Rule.    The  origi- 
nal Conftitution  with  Adam  had  fomc  Degree  of  GR  ACE' 
in  it.  The  Conilitution  in  theGofpel  is  altogether  GRACE.- 
God  might  have  held,  all  Mankind  bound  by  the  Law  of 
Nature  limply,  nor  ever  have  appointed  any  other  Way  to 
Kappinefs,  than  a  perfedt  andperfevering  Obedience  :  and 
Mankind  have  been  to  all  Eternity  in  a  peccable  State^ 
habie  to  .s..i  and  fall  into  Ruin.     Whatfoevcr  Advantages 
Mankind  have  had  over  and  above  this,  are,  and  have  been, 
di  mere  Grace.     According  to  the  Law  of  Nature  v/c  are 
under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfed  Holinefs  in  the  Tem- 
per of  cur  Hearts,  and  to  peifedl;  Obedience  in  the  Vv'holc- 
Courfe  of  our  Lives,  and  that  not  oi.ly  for  a  Day  01  a  Year 
or  a  Thoufand  Years,  but  fo  long  as  we  continuc'in  Iknng. 
And  fo  long  as  we  are  thus  obedient,  we   fhali  be  happy  ; 
but   the   leaft  Defedt  at   any  Thiie  whatfcever  will  let  in 
everlailing  inevitable  Ruin  upon  us.     Adam  in  Innocence 
was  under  the  Law  of  Nature,  as  well  as  under  that  par- 
ticular politive  Conftitution  in    Gen.  2.  ij.    So  that  any 
other  Sin,  as  well  as  eating  the  forbidden  Fruit,  muft  have 
cxpofed  him  to  Ruin.     But  then  by  that  Conftitution  he 
had  this  peculia'r  Advantage,  that  if  heperfevercd,  his  Time 
of  Trial  fhould  fliortly  be  at  an  End,  and  himfelf  and  all 
his  Race  confinr.ed  in  a  State  of  Holinefs  and  Happinefs. 
An  Advantage  never  to  be  obtained  by  any  one  merely 
under  the  Law  of  Nature.     For  in  the  Nature  of  Things 
it  is  impollible,  God  fliould  ever  be  laid  under  any  Obliga- 
tions to  his    Creatures  unlefs  by  Virtue  of  his  own  free 
Promife,  v/hich  does  not  belong  to  the  Law  of  Nature, 
hue  is  an^Ad:  of  Grace,  which  he  may  grant  or  withhold 
as  feemiPgood  in  his  Sight.- When  Adam  broke  Cove- 
nant v^ith  God,  and  v/hen  that  pofiiive  Conftitution  was  at 
an  'iLnd-^  yccftiii  Ada-m  remained  under  thcLaw  of  Nature, 

bound 


and  dijltnguiped  from  all  Counterfeits.  279 

bound  to  perfed  Obedience,  to  love  God  with  all  his  Heart, 
and  his  Neighbour  as  himfelf  j  yea,  under  infinite  Obliga- 
tions, and  every  Dcfc6l  was  infinitely  finful,  and  fo  was 
worthy  of  infinite  Funilhment.  And  as  was  the  Cafe  with 
him,  fo  is  the  Cafe  with  all  his  Pofterity.  Our  Obligations 
are  infinite,  and  fo  our  Non-performance  infinitely  faulty, 
and  worthy  of  an  infinite  Punifhment.  Tho'  indeed  as  the 
Cafe  now  Hands,  nor  Adam^  nor  any  of  his  Race  can  ever 
obtain  Life  by  the  Law  of  Nature,  becaufe  we  are  Sinners, 
and  fo  by  the  Law  of  Nature  are  condemned  withoutHope. 
Rom.  3.  20.  By  the  Deeds  of  the  Law  no  FleJJj  canhe  jtifti- 
fied ;  for  by  the  Law  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin,  And  Chap.  4. 
y-.  15.  1'heLaw  workethW^rath.  And  thus  as  the  Cafe  now 
Hands,  we  are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfed  Obe- 
dience,and  are  liable  to  an  infinite  Punifhment  for  the  Icaft 
Defed  :  and  yet,  thro'  the  bad  Temper  of  our  Hearts,  v/c 
are  unable  to  yield  anyObedLence,and  are  in  a  Difpofition  to 
be  continually  treafuring  upWrathagainfttheDay  of  Wrath. 

Now,  I  fay,  the  fupreme  King  of  Heaven  and  Earth 
was  not  moved  to  entertain  Defigns  of  Mercy  towards  a  fin- 
ful, guilty  undone  World,  from  a  Suppofition  that  the 
Law  of  Nature  was  too  fevere,  or  that  it  would  have  been 
any  Thing  like  Unmercifulnefs  to  have  dealt  with  allMan- 
kind  according  to  tliat  Rule.  For, 

All  that  this  Law  requires,  is,  that  fince  GOD  is  infi- 
nitely amiable  in  himfelf,and  has  fuch  an  entireRight  to  us 
and  abfoiute Authority  over  us  as  his  Creatures,we  therefore 
love  him  with  all  our  Hearts^  and  be  entirely  devoted  to  him, 
to  do  his  Will  and  keep  his  Commands 5feeking  hisGlory  : 
and  that,  fince  our  Neighbours  are  fuch  as  we,  of  the  fame 
Species  and  under  the  fam.e  general  Circumftances,  wc 
therefore  love  ourNeighhour  as  our  f elves  :  both  whichThings; 
are  in  their  own  Nature  right  and  fit  and  reafonable.  So 
that  the  Law  is  holy, — And  all  that  this  Law  threatens  in 
Cafe  of  any  Tranfgreflion,  is,  that  fince  our  Obligations 
are  infinite,  and  fo  the  leaft  Defecl  infinitely  wrong  ♦, 
therelore  every  fuch  Defed  fhould  be  punilhed  with 
the  cvcilafting  Pains  of  Hell  ;  and  that  in  exad 
Proportion  to  the  feveral  Aggravations  attending  each 
Tranfgreffioa.  Which  is  alfo  in  it's  ownNature  right  and  fit 

T  4        '  s^P'^ 


2  8o         7rue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

and  rcafonable.  So  that  the  Law  \sjuft. — And  that  per- 
fed  Holinefs  which  this  Law  requires,  i.  e,  to  love  God 
with  all  ourHearts  and  our  Neighbours  as  our  felves,  is  the 
highell  Perfedion  our  Nature  is  capable  of,  and  altogether 
fuited  to  make  us  happy.  So  that  theLaw  is  good.     But, 

It  is  not  fevere,  nor  any  Thing  like  Unmercifulnefs,  to 
deal  with  Mankind  according  to  a  Rule,  which  is,  in  it's 
own  Nature,  holy,  juft  and  good  :  but  rather,  it  muft  have 
been  agreable  to  the  HoHnefs,  Juftice  and  Goodneis  of  the 
great  Governourof  the  World  fo  to  do.  And  indeed, were 
not  this  the  C^(ty  it  would  have  been  fit  this  Law  ihould 
have  been  repealed.  Mankind  did  not  need  to  be  redeemed 
from  the  Curfe  of  an  unrighteous  Law  •,  for  fuch  a  Law 
ought  to  be  laid  afide,  and  it's  Curfes  never  executed.  God 
would  have  been  bound  in  Juftice  to  have  aboliihed  an  un- 
righteous Law.  There  is  no  Need  of  Chrift  or  Gofpel- 
Grace  in  the  Cafe.  And  fo  all  the  high  Commendations 
of  the  Grace  of  God  in  providing  a  Saviour,  as  being  rich 
free  and  wonderful,  are  groundiefs  •,  and  caft  much  Re- 
proach upon  Mankind,  as  being  a  guilty  Race,  righteoufly 
condemned,  v/hen  in  Truth  it  is  no  fuch  Thing.  God 
ought  to  have  owned  that  the  Law  was  wrong,  and  to  have 
repealed  it,  and  not  to  have  proceeded  as  if  it  was  very 
good,  and  Mankind  altogether  to  blame,  and  worthy  oi 
eternal  Damnation.  And  mightily  would  this  have  pleafed 
an  apoftate,  proud  and  guilty  World  -,  and  at  the  fame 
Time  caft  infinite  Reproach\ipon  God  and  his  holy  Law, 
and  fliut  out  all  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel. 

God  has  therefore  in  the  Gofpel,  not  only  fuppofed  the 
Lav/  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  Mankind  righteoufly 
condemned  •,  but  has  taken  all  poftible  Care  to  make  it 
evident  that  he  does  fo,  and  thereby  to  fecure  the  Honour 
of  his  Law,  difcountenance  Sin,  humble  the  Sinner,  and 
exalt  and  magnify  his  Grace.  Even  the  whole  Scheme  of 
the  Gofpel  is  wifely  calculated  to  attain  thefe  Ends,  as  wc 
fhall  fee  hereafter.  So  far  was  God  iVom  being  moved  to 
pity  Mankind  iTom  a  Suppolition  that  they  had  in  this 
Rcfpecit  been  too  fevcrely  dealt  with,  and  fo  Objedls  ofPiiy 
in  that  Senfe  •,  that  on  ihc  contrary  he  moft  perfedlly  ap- 
pro vtd  of  the  Law  a?  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  was  altoge- 
ther 


and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   281 

ther  in  it,  that  Mankind  deferved  to  be  proceeded  with  ac- 
cording to  it.  Yea,  fo  highly  did  he  approve  of  his  holy 
Law,  and  fo  odious  and  ill-deferving  did  Mankind  appear 
in  his  Eyes  for  breaking  of  it,  that  their  Sin  cried  aloud 
for  Vengeance  in  his  Ears.  Yea,  cried  fo  loud  for  Ven- 
geance, that  he  judged  it  neceflary  that  his  own  Son  fhould 
appear  in  their  Stead  and  die  in  their  Room,  to  the  End  he 
might  be  jull,might  ad  confidently  with  the  Holinefs  and 
Juilice  of  his  Nature,  while  he  fhewed  Mercy  to  them. 
Rom.  3.  9 — 26. — In  fuch  a  Light  he  viewed  Things  -,  in 
fuch  a  Light  mud  we  therefore  view  them  too,  or  we  can 
never  truly  underftand  our  Need  of  Chrift  &  GofpelGrace, 
or  cordially  acquiefce  in  theGofpel-Way  of  Salvation  :  but 
rather  Ihall  be  difpofed  to  quarrel  with  the  Scri6lnefs  of  the 
Law,  and  think  our  felves  abufed,  and  imagine  tiiat  God 
deals  hardly  with  us. 

3.  Nor  was  the  fupremc  Being  moved  to  entertain  De- 
figns  of  Mercy  towards  Mankind,  from  a  Suppojition^  that 
their  Inability  to  yield  perfeSl  Obedience  made  them  the  lefs  to 
blame.,  and  fo  the  more  proper  ObjeBs  of  Pity  on  that  Account, 
For  Mankind  are  not  the  lefs  to  blame  for  their  Inability  •, 
but  the  more  unable  they  are,  the  greater  is  their  Blame  -, 
and  fo  the  more  proper  Objedbs  are  tiiey  of  the  divine 
Wrath  and  Vengeance. 

God  is  a  moil  excellent  and  amiable  Being.  He  infi- 
nitely deferves  our  higheft  Love  &  Efteem  and  fupreme 
Delight.  It  is  perfe6l:ly  fit,  we  fhould  be  of  a  Difpofition  to 
fay.  Whom  have  we  in  Heaven  but  thee  ?  and  there  is  nothing 
on  Earth  we  deftre  beftdes  thee.  Pfal.  y^.  25.  Now,  not  to 
love  this  God  with  all  our  Hearts,muft  be  infinitely  wrong  ; 
and  not  to  love  him  at  all,  muft  be  worfc  dill ;  but  to  be 
habitually  contrary  to  him  in  the  Temper  of  our  Hearts, 
yea,  fo  averfe  to  him  as  that  we  can't  love  him,  muft 
be  in  the  very  higheft  Degree  vile  and  fmful.  And  now 
to  fay,  we  can't,  by  Way  of  Extenuation.,  as  tho*  we  were 
the  lefs  to  blame  for  that,  is  intolerably  God-provoking : 
whenas  our  can't  arifes  only  frotn  the  bad  Temper  of  our 
Hearts,  and  becaufe  we  be  not  what  we  fhould  be  •,  and  not 
at  all  from  any  Unlovelinefs  in  the  divine  Nature,  or  from 
our  Want  of  external  Advantages  for  the  Knowledge  of 
God.  Put 


^82        True  Religmt  delineated        Dis.  JL 

•  Put  the  Cafe  to  thy  fclf,  O  Man.  Were  you  as  wife  as 
Solomon^  as  holy  as  Bavid^  as  humble  as  Paul,  and  of  as 
loving  and  kind  a  Temper  as  Jchn  •,  and  had  you  a  Family 
of  Children  ;  and  were  all  the  Rules  and  Orders  of  your 
Houfe,  like  your  felf ;  and  calculated  to  make  all  your 
Children  juit  fuch  as  you  be  ;  and  did  you  perceive  that 
your  Children*  neither  liked  you,  nor  your  Ways,  nor  the 
Orders  of  .your  Houfe  ;  they  fliew  you  much  Difrefped 
in  their  Carriage,difregard  your  Authority,  complain,  your 
Rules  are  too  itridi:,  and  daily  break  over  all  Orders  :  At 
length  you  call  them  to  an  Account,  are  about  to  convince 
humble  and  reform  them  ;  they  plead,they  are  not  to  blame, 
at  lead  not  fo  much  to  bkme,  bccaufe  they  can't  love 
70U,  they  can't  like  your  Ways,  they  can't  but  abhor 
fuch  Rules  and  Orders  ;  thofe  very  Properties,  onAccount 
of  which,  you  are  indeed  the  moil  excellent  Man  in  the 
World,  thefe  are  the  very  Things  for  which  they  diflike 
you,  while  in  the  mean  Time  they  can  moil  heartily  love 
their  Companions  in  Vice  and  Debauchery  :  And  now  the 
Queilion  is,  Whether  their  Inability  to  love  you,  renders 
'em  e'er  the  lefs  to  biarne  ?  Or,  whether  it  be  not  very  pro- 
voking in  them,  to  plead  in  Excufe  for  themfelves,  that 
they  caTi't  love  you  ?  v^henas  this  their  can^t  arifes  from  their 
voluntaryContrariety  to  allGood,  andLove  to  Debauchery  ? 
and  not  at  all  from  any  Unlovelinefs  of  your  Perfon  or 
Ways  -y  or  for  want  of  Advantages  to  be  acquainted  with 
you,  and  with  the  Beauty  of  your  Temper  and  Condudl. 
The  Application  is  eafy.  Was  it  any  Excufe  for  the  Ill- 
will  of  the  malicious  Pbflrifees  towards  Chriil,  that  they 
(ould  not  love  him,  they  coidd  not  but  hate  him  ?  Did  ever 
any  Man  look  upon  a  malicious  fpightful  Neighbour,  and 
think  him  e'er  the  lefs  to  blame  for  his  abundant  ill  Car- 
riage, for  his  being  fo  exceeding  ill-natur'd,  that  it  was  not 
in  his  Heart  to  do  otherwife  ?  I  appeal  to  the  common 
Senfe  of  all  Mankind. 

If  fuch  an  Inability  can  excufe  Mankind,then  the  Devils 
upon  the  fame  Foot  may  be  excufed  too.  And  the  more 
any  of  God's  Subjects  hate  him,  the  lels  will  they  be  to 
blame.  For  the  more  any  do  really  hate  God,  the  lefs 
^ble  will  they  be  to  love  him.     The  more  averfe  to  his 

Law, 


and  dijlinguijjjed  from  all  Counterfeits.   283 

Law,  the  lefs  able  to  keep  it.  And  therefore  fince  our 
Inabihty  ariics  from  fuch  a  Root,  the  more  unable  we  be 
to  love  God  with  all  our  Hearts  and  yield  a  perfed  Obedi- 
ence  to  all  his  Laws,  the  more  vile,  guilty,  Hell-deferving 
wc  be,  and  the  more  unworthy  of  Pity.  So  that  this  our 
moral  Inability  and  Impotency,  or  rather  Obftinacy^  was  in 
the  Nature  of  Things  lb  far  from  extenuating  our  Guilt 
and  moving  the  divine  Pity,  that  it  was  the  ilrongeft  Evi- 
dence of  our  exceeding  Vilenefs,  and  as  it  were  a  mighty 
Bar  and  great  Difcouragement  in  the  Way  of  God's  ever 
entertaining  any  Defigns  of  Mercy  towards  us.  It  was  like 
the  great  Mountains  •,  fo  that  nothing  but  an  infinite  Good- 
nefs  could  have  ever  furmounted  it.  And  in  ihis  Light 
mufl  we  view  our  felves  and  our  Inability,  and  become 
Self-condemned  before  God,  or  we  fhall  never  like  it  that 
God  looks  upon  us  as  he  does,  nor  ever  be  able  to  look 
upon  his  Grace  in  the  Gofpel  in  the  lame  Light  with  him, 
nor  can  we  ever  heartily  approve  of  and  fall  in  with  that 
Way  of  Salvation. 

When  we  are  under  fufficientoutv/ard  Advantages  to  come 
to  know  what  Kind  of  Being  God  is,  and  yet  after  all  fee  no 
Beauty  in  him,  nor  efteem  him  ^  it  muft  be  either  becaufe 
we  ard  intolerably  bad  in  ourTemper,  or  elfe  becaufe  he  is 

not  truly  and  indeed  a  lovely  and  amiableBcing. When 

we  fay,  we  r^/V  love  him,  under  a  fond  Notion  that  vie  are 
hereby  excufed  and  are  not  to  blame  ;  we  implicitly  fay, 
that  we  are  well  enough  difpofed  and  ai-e  of  a  good  Tern* 
per,  but  God  is  fuch  an  hateful  Being  that  we  cannot  love 
him.  There  is  nothing  in  him  to  be  loved.  So  that  to  fay^ 
we  can't,  under  a  Notion  of  extenuating  our  Guilt,  cafts 
the  higheft  Refle6lion  upon  God  imaginable,  and  indeed  is 
big  with  the  blackefV  Blafphemy.  We  had  as  good  fay, 
"  It  is  not  owing  to  us  that  we  don't  loveGod,  but  to  him; 
"  We  would  readily  love  him,  if  there  was  any  Thing  iri 
"  him  for  us  to  love  :  but  there  is  not,  and  fo  we  can^t  ^ 
"  and  therefore  be  not  to  blame." 

To  fuppofe  therefore  that  God  in  the  Gofpel  confiders 

us  as  being  the  lefs  to  Blame  for  this  our  Inability,  and 

from  thence  is  moved  to  pity  us  ;  is  the  very  fame  Thing 

in  elFeftg  as  to  fuppofe  that  God  owns  himfelf  a  hateful, 

^*-^  unlovely 


284         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  I, 

unlovely  Being,  and  thinks  it  a  great  Hardfhip  that  his 
poorCreatures  ihould  be  forced  to  love  him,  or  be  damned  ^ 
and  therefore  repents  that  ever  he  was  fo  fevere,  or  ever 
made  fuch  a  Law,  and  is  forry  for  them,  and  will  do  better 
by  them  for  Time  to  come.  But  how  horrid  a  Thought 
is  this  !  It  cads  the  higheft  Reflexion  upon  God,  and  upon 
his  holy  Law,  and  quite  deftroys  all  the  Grace  of  the  Gof- 
pel.  No,  no  !  God  knew  well  enough  how  the  Cafe  flood. 
He  was  confcious  to  his  own  infinite  Excellency,  and  to  the 
infinite  Reafonablenefs  of  his  Law.  He  knew  the  helUfh 
Temper  of  an  apoftate  rebellious  Race.  And  verily  he 
was  GOD  and  not  Man^  or  he  would  have  doomed  the 
whole  World  to  Deilruclion  without  any  Pity  or  fo  much 
as  one  Thought  of  Mercy.  Herein  was  Love,  not  that  we 
loved  God ',  but  that  God  loved  us,  and  fent  his  Son  to  he 
a  Propitiation  for  our  Sins,  i  Joh.  4.  10.  IFhile  we  were 
Sinners  and  Enemies^  Rom.  5.  8,  10.  and  moft  flrongly 
averfe  to  a  Reconciliation  2  Cor.  5.  20. 

4.  Nor  did  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  take  their  Rife //'<?;;; 
any  Expectation  that  a  rebellious^  guilty -» perijhing  World  would 
he  fo  good.,  as  of  their  Accord  ever  heartily  thank  him  for 
it.  No,  he  knew  well  enough  how  it  would  be ;  that  many 
would  make  light  of  it,  and  go  their  Ways,  one  to  his 
Farm,  another  to  his  Merchandife ;  and  that  others  would 
be  affronted,  and  fome  fo  very  angry  that  they  would  take 
his  MefTengers,  and  flone  one,  and  beat  another,  and  kill 
another,  and  finally  would  crucify  his  Son.  And  he  ex- 
pedled  that  Mankind  in  general  would  be  difpofed  to  hate 
his  Law,  and  pervert  his  Gofpel,  and  refifl  his  Spirit  -,  and 
never  one  in  all  the  World,  repent  and  convert,  and  come 
and  humble  himfelf  before  him,  and  blefs  his  holy  Name  j 
unlefs  brought  thereto  by  his  own  All-conquering  Grace. 

Mat,  21.  33 — 39.  and  22.  i 7.  Luk.  14.  16 23. 

I  Cor,  3.  6,  7. 

So  that,  from  the  whole,  it  is  very  plain,  God  was  not 
moved  to  entertain  Thoughts  of  Mercy  towards  Mankind, 
neither  under  a  Notion  that  they  had  been  in  any  Refped 
hardly  dealt  with,  nor  under  a  Notion  that  their  Impotency 
rendered  them  in  any  Meafure  cxcufable,  nor  under  a  No- 
tion that  there  was  any  Qood  in  them  or  to  be  expc6bcd 

from 


and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  285 

from  them :  but  on  the  contrary,  he  looked  upon  the 
original  Conflitution  with  Adam  to  ftc  holy,  jull  and  good, 
and  that  upon  that  Foot  all  Mankind  delerved  all  Ruin  ; 
and  he  looked  upon  the  Law  of  Nature  alfo  holy,  juft  and 
good,  and  that  upon  that  Foot  a  wicked  World  deferved 
his  everlaftmg  Wrath  ;  and  he  looked  upon  them  altoge- 
ther criminal  for  their  Im potency.  In  a  Word,he  looked 
upon  them  voluntary  in  their  Rebellion,  and  obftinate  in 
their  Enmity,  and  infinitely  unworthy  of  the  leaft  Pity  ; 
yea,  fo  unworthy  of  Pity,  that  to  iecure  his  own  Honour^ 
and  to  lave  himfelf  from  juft  Reproach,  while  he  pitied 
them  and  fhewed  them  Mercy,  he  thought  it  needful,  that 
his  own  Son  lliould  become  a  P^ediator,  and  bear  their  Sin 
and  fuffer  for  their  Guilt,  and  fo  open  a  Way  for  the  ho- 
nourable Exercife  of  his  Mercy. 
To  conclade  therefore, 

5.  It  is  evident  that  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  took  their 
Rife  merely^  abfolntely  and  entirely  from  himfelf  •,  from  bis 
cwn  infinite  Benevolence^  from  his  fclf-?noving  Gocdnefs  and 
fovereign  Grace,    God  fo  loved  the  World 

As  for  us,  we  lay  irr  the  open  Field  of  Perdition,  pol- 
luted, perifhing  in  our  Blood  and  Guilt  :  and  it  was  per- 
fectly right,  that  the  righteous  Sentence  of  the  Law  Ihould 
be  executed  upon  us.  And  God  had  been  for  ever  glorious 
in  the  everlafting  Ruin  of  a  rebellious  World.  There  was 
nothing  in  our  Circumftances,  all  Things  confidered,  ct  the 
Nature  of  a  Motive  to  Pity,  We  were  too  bad  to  deferve 
any  Pity  or  Relief  Yea,  fo  bad,  that  the  great  Cover- 
nour  of  the  World  could  not,  without  counterading  all 
good  Rules  of  Government,  fhew  any  Mercy  but  by  the 
Interpofition  of  his  own  Son,  to  ftand  and  die  in  our  Room 
and  Stead.  So  that  inftead  of  any  motive  to  Pity,  there 
was  every  Thing  to  the  contrary.     Our  infinite  ill  Delert 

lay  as  an  infinite  Bar  in  the  Way. Here  now  was  an 

Opportunity  for  infinite  Goodnefs  and  Self-moving  Mercy 
to  exert  it  felf,  in  the  moil  illuftrious  Manner  ♦,  in  defigning 
Mercy,  in  providing  a  Mediator,  and  in  opening  a  Door 
for  the  exercife  of  much  Grace  to  Mankind  ia  general,  and 
of  fpecial  faving  Mercy  in  ten  Thoufand  Thoufand  Inftan- 
-  CCS. .-*-^  There  was  nothing,  ah  f.v/r^,  from  without  'Gocl 
''''''  himiblt; 


2  86  ^^ue  Religio?i  delineated     Dis.  II. 

himfelf,  to  move  and  put  him  on  to  fiich  a  wonderful  and 
glorious  Enterprile.  The  Motion  was  wholly  trom  him- 
felf, from  his  Self-moving  Coodnefs,  from  his  good  Plea- 
fure  according  to  theCounfel  of  his  own  \V  ill.  Eph.  1.3 — 12. 
— No  wonder  thereforc,rhc  Gofpel  every  where  celebrates 
the  Love  and  Goodnefs,  Mercy  and  Grace  of  God,  as  being 
rich  and  free,  unparallel'd,  unfpeakable,  inconceivable,  in- 
finitely great  and  gloriou.f,  as  dilcovcred  in  this  moft  won- 
derful of  all  God's  Works.  And  to  fuppofe  that  God  was 
under  any  Obligations  to  fhew  thefe  Favours,  wouki  be,  to 
undermine  anci  overthrow  the  whole  Gofpel  •,  and  turn  a 
Deed  of  the  freejl  ^^d.  great  eft  Grace^  into  a  Work  of  mere 
Jitftice.  Thus  we  fee  whence  God's  Thoughts  of  Mercy, 
towards  a  fmful,  guilty  World,  had  their  Rife. 

He  had  in  View  a  great  variety  of  glorious  Defigns,  all 
infinitely  wife,  all  fuited  to  diiplay  the  glorious  Perfections 
of  his  Nature,  and  bring  everlailing  Honours  to  his  great 
Name.  He  defigned  to  dcftroy  the  Works  of  the  Devil. 
Gen.  3.  15.  I  Job.  3.8.  Satan  had  induced  Mankind  to 
their  Rebellion  •,  and  had  perhaps  in  his  Conceit  too,  made 
himfelf  ftrong  againil  the  Almighty.  He  firft  rebelled 
himfelf,  and  now  he  had  brought  others  to  join  with  him, 
and  in  this  World  he  intended  to  rule  and  reign  •,  and  by 
the  whole  bring  much  Reproach  upon  the  rightful  I  .ortl 
of  Heaven  and  Earth.  God  wrought  therefore  for  his 
greatName's  fake,  that  it  might  not  be  polluted ;  and  en- 
tred  upon  Methods  to  defeat  his  Dengns,  and  bring  his 
Kingdom  to  nought,  and  crufh  the  Rebellion,  and  put  him 
to  open  Shame  •,  and  at  length  bind  him  up  in  his  Chains, 
that  he  fhould  deceive  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  no  more  •, 
and  give  all  Nations,  Languages  and  Tongues,  to  Jefus 
Chrift,  and  bring  the  whole  World  into  Subjedion  to  him. 
Rev,  20.  I — 4.  He  defigned  to  difplay  his  gloriousGrace, 
in  bringing  Millions  of  this  feduced  apoftate  Race,  from  the 
jaws  of  .eternal  Deftrudlion  to  eternal  Glory.  Rom.  9.  23. 
Eph.2:y.  He  defigned  to  put  ail  Mankind  in  a  new  State 
ot  Probation,  and  to  difplay  his  gloriousGoodnefs,Patience, 
Forbearance  and  Long-futfering  in  his  Dealings  with  the 
obilinate  and  finally  impenitent  in  this  World,  and  his 
glorious  Holincfs  and  Juilicc  in  their  everlailing  Funifli- 

ment 


and  di/iinguiped from  all  Coimterfeits  287 

ment  in  the  World  to  come,  in  the  fame  Lake  of  Fire  and 
JBrimilone,  which  was  prepared  for  the  Devil  and  his  An- 
gels, with  whom  they  had  joined  in  their  Rebellion  againft 
the  Majelly  of  ilcaven.  Att..  14.  17.  Rom.  %.  4.  ^  9.22. 
Mat.  2\j.  41.  In  a  Word,  he  defigned  to  take  Occafion 
from  the  Apoiracy  of  Mankind,  in  innumerable  Inftances, 
in  this  World,  and  throughout  eternal  Ages  in  the  World 
to  come,  to  difplay  all  his  glorious  Feriections  :  And  fo 
by  his  whole  Conducl,  to  exhibit  a  moil  perrcdl  and  exadt 
Image  of  himlelf. 

Thus  we  fee,  that  his  Defigns  of  Mercy,  towards  a  rebel- 
lious, guilty,  undone  Vv^orld,  took  their  Iviie,  not  from  any 
Motives  in  us,  but  altogether  from  Motives  in  himfelf, 
from  the  infinite  boxindlefs  Geo  Jnefs  of  his  Nature  and  his 
fovereio;n  o;ood  Pleafure.  And  in  this  Light  muil  we 
view  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  and  all  our  Lncounigements 
to  hope  in  his  Mercy  thro'  Jefus  Chrifl,  mud  take  their 
Rife,  not  from  any  Thing  in  our  felves,  but  only  from  that 
felf-moving  Goodnefs  and  free  Grace  which  he  has  mani- 
fefted  thro'  JefusChriit.  Rom.^.  19,  20,  24.  Eph.  2.  8. 

And  thus  we  fee,  that  his  End,  as  to  the  Elect,  was  to 
bring  them  back  from  their  Apoftacy,  their  Rebellion  and 
Wickednefs  and  Ruin>  to  God  their  rightful  Lord  and 
Sovereign,  to  become  his  Servants,  to  love  him  and  live  to 
him  and  live  upon  him,  and  be  bleiled  in  him  for  ever. 
And  in  this  Light  mud  we  view  the  Gofpel.  And  with 
this  it's  Defign  muft  we  heartily  fail  in.  And  being  en- 
couraged by  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  to  hope  for  Accep- 
tance in  the  Sight  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  we  muft 
thro'Chrift  give  up  our  felves  to  God, to  be  hisServants  for 
Qver,Ltik.  I.  74.  75.  2  Cor.  5.  2o.R0m.12,  1. Tit. 2. 11 — 14. 

From  wlfet  has  been  faid,  it  will  be  very  natural  to  make 
thcfe  following  Remarks. 

Rem.  I .  If  all  God  has  done  in  the  Gofpel  for  ourReco  - 
very  from  Ruin,  be  of  mere  free  Grace,  then  it  is  Self- 
evident  tbat  God  was  under  no  Obligations  to  a  fallen.,  fi^'^y'l-, 
guilty.,  rebellious  World  \  but^  as  for  us.,  nught  have.,  confiftent 
with  all  his  Perfe5iions.,  left  v,s  in  Ruin.,  to  inherit  the  Fruit 
ef  our  Doings  and  theRunifhrnent  of  our  Sin.  He  was  under 
no  Obligation  to  provide  a  Redeemer  or  a  Sandifier,  to 

give 


2  88       True  Religion  delineated        D  i  s .  II. 

give  the  leail  Hint  of  a  Pardon,  or  take  any  Methods  to 
recover  us  from  the  Power  of  Sin.  He  was  under  no  Ob- 
ligations to  deal  any  better  by  us,  than  would,  in  the  whole, 
be  no  worfe  than  Damnation.  By  the  Conditution  with 
Adani^  and  by  the  Law  of  Natuie,  this  would  have  been 
our  proper  Due.  Every  thing  therefore,  whereby  our  Cir- 
cumftances  have  been  rendered  better  than  the  CircumUan- 
ces  of  the  Damned,  God  was  under  no  Obligations  unto  ^ 
but  all,  over  and  above  that,  has  been  of  free  and  fovereign 
Grace.  God  was  at  Liberty,  as  to  us,  not  to  have  done 
any  of  thefe  Things  for  us.  Yea,  there  were  on  our  Part 
mighty  Hindrances  to  prevent  the  Mercy  of  God,  and  to 
put  a  Bar  in  the  Way  of  the  free  and  honourable  Exercife 
of  his  Grace.  Even  fuch  Hindrances,  that  nothing  could 
remove  them,  but  the  Blood  of  Chriil.         Plence, 

Rem.  2.  MankinUwere^  by  their  Fall  ^  brought  into  a  State 
of  Being  infinitely  'worfe  than  net  to  he.  The  Damned  inHell 
no  doubt  are  in  fuch  a  State,  clfe  their  Punifhment  would 
,  not  be  infinite  •,  as  Juftice  requires  it  ihould  be.  ButMan- 
kind  by  the  Fall  were  brought  into  a  State,for  Subllance,  * 
as  bad  as  that  which  the  Damned  are  in.  For  the  Damned 
undergo  nothing  in  Hell,  but  what,  by  the  Conftitution 
with  Adam  and  tke  Law  of  Nature,  all  Mankind  were  and 
would  have  been,  for  Subftance,  expofed  unto,  if  mere 
Grace  had  not  prevented.  And  according  to  what  was 
but  now  obferved,  God  was  under  no  more  Obligation, 
to  grant  any  Relief  to  Mankind,  in  this  their  fallen,  fin- 
ful,  guilty,  undone  Condition,  than  he  is  now  to  the 
Damned  in  Hell  ^  /.  e.  under  no  Obligations  at  all  :  but 
the  Way  for  Mercy  to  come  to  them  was  mightily  barred 
and  blocked  up,  by  the  infinite  Reafonablenefs  of  their  be- 
ing punillied,  and  their  infinite  Unworthinefs,  in  the  very 
Nature  of  Things,  as  the  Cafe  then  flood,  of  ever  being 
pitied.  So  that  Mankind  were  by  the  Fall  brought  into 
a  State  of  Being,  (in  Scripture  called  Condemnation  and 

fVrath, 

*  For  Suhfiancey  I  fay^becaufe  it  maftbe  remembred  that  the  fuperaddcd 
Punifhment  inflidled  upon  any  in  Hell,  for  defplfing  the  Gofpel,  muft 
be  left  out  of  the  Account.  For  all  this,  is  over  and  above,  what, 
by  the  Conftitution  with  Adam  and  theLaw  of  Nature,  Mankind  wer« 
or  ever  would  have  been  expofed  unto- 


a7id  dijlmgiiijhed fro7n  all  Counterfeits.  289 

Wrath ^  Rom.  5.  18.  Eph.  2.  3.)  for  Subilance,  as  bad  as 
that  which  the  Damned  are  in  •,  fo  that  if  the  Damned  are 
in  a  State  of  Being,  infinitely  worfe  than  not  to  be,  as  no 
Doubt  they  are  •,  then  fo  aJfo  were  Mankind.  And  Man- 
kind being  adlually  brought  into  fuch  a  State  by  the  Fall, 
is  what  renders  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  fo  inconceivable, 
fo  unfpcakable  in  it's  Greatnefs,  and  fo  abfokitely  free.  To 
deny,  that  Mankind  by  the  Fall  were  brought  into  fuch  a 
State,  is  the  fame  Thing  in  Efie6l  as  to  deny  original  Sin, 
and  undermine  the  glorious  Grace  of  the  Gofpel. 

Ob  J.  But  how  could  Gcd^  confiftent  with  his  Ferfe^Hons^ 
put  us  into  a  State  of  Beings  worfe  than  not  to  be  ?  or  how 
can  ive  ever  thank  God  for  fuch  a  Being  ? 

Ans.  Our  being  brought  into  fo  bad  an  Eflate  was 
not  owing  to  God,  i.  e.  to  any  Fault  in  him,  but 
merely  to  our  felves,  to  our  Apoilacy  from  God.  It 
was  our  Apoftacy  from  God,  that  brought  all  this  upon 
us,  in  Way  of  righteous  Judgment.  Rom,  5.  18,  19. 
Our  being  in  fo  bad  a  State  is  no  more  owing  to  God,  than 
theirs  is  who  are  now  in  Hell.  They  deferve  to  be  inHell, 
according  to  a  Law  that  is  holy,  jufl  and  good  ;  and  we 
deferve  to  be  in  fuch  a  State,  according  to  the  Conflitutioa 
made  with  Adam^  which  was  alfo  holy,  juil  and  good  :  and 
therefore  the  one  may  be  confiftent  with  the  divine  Per- 
fections, as  well  as  the  other.  It  cannot  be  difagreeable  to 
the  Holinefs,  Juftice,  and  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Nature, 
to  deal  with  Mankind  according  to  a  Conftitution,  in  it's 
own  Nature,  holy,  juft,  and  good. 

Now  in  as  much  as  God  did  virtually  give  Being  to  all 
Mankind,  when  he  bleffed  our  firft  Parents,  and  faid.  Be 
fruitful  and  multiply  ;  and  in  as  much  as  Beings  under  the 
Circumftances  that  Man  was  then  put  in  by  God,  was  very 
defireable  :  we  ought  therefore  to  thankGod  for  our  Beings 
confidered  in  this  Light,  and  juftify  God  in  all  the  Evil 
that  is  come  upon  us  for  our  Apoftacy.  For  the  Lord  is 
righteous,   and  we  are  a  guilty  Race. 

Thofe  in  Hell  are  in  a  State  of  Being,  infinitely  worfe 
than  not  to  be  ;  and  inftead  of  thanking  God  for  their 
Beings,  they  blafpheme  his  Name  :  but  ftill  there  is  no  juft 
pround  for  their  Condudl.     They  have  no  Rcafon  to  think 

V  hard 


290  Irue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  JI. 

hard  of  God  for  damning  them  :  they  have  no  Reafon  to 
blame  him  :  they  have  noReaibn  to  eileem  him  e'er  the  lefs 
for  it  :  he  docs  what  is  fit  to  be  done  :  His  Condud  is 
amiable  ;  and  he  is,  worthy  of  being  efleemed  for  doing  as 
he  does  i  and  all  holy  Beings  will  always  efteem  him  for 
it.  {Rev.  19.  1,-6.;  Therefore  the  Damned  ought  to  af- 
cribe  all  their  Evil  to  themlelves,  and  juilify  God,  and  fay, 
;*V  He  gave  us  Being,  and:  it  was  a  Mercy,  and  he  deferves 
*'  Thanks  ^  but  to  us  it  is  owing,that  we  are  now  in  a  State 
"  infinitely  worfe  than  not  to  be  :.  God  is  not  to  blame  for 
"  that  ;  nor  is  he  the  lefs  worthy  of  Thanks  for  giving 
*'  us  Being,  and  for  all  pad  Advantages  whicli  we  ever 
"  enjoyed  :  for  the  Lav/  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  by  and 
*'  according  to  v/hich  we  fuffer  all  thefe  Things." 

So  here  :  Mankind  by  the  Fall,  were  brought  into  a 
State  of  Being  infinitely  worfe  than  not  to  be  \  and  were 
they  but  fo  far  awake  as  to  be  fenfible  of  it,  they  would  no 
doubt  all  over  the  Earth  murmur  and  blafpheme  the  God 
cf  Heaven.  But  what  then  ?  There  would  be  no  juil 
Ground  for  fuch  a  Condu6l.  We  have  no  Reafon  to  think 
hard  of  God,  to  blame  him,  or  to  efteem  him  e'er  the  lefs. 
What  he  has  done,  was  fit  and  right  \  his  Condu6t  was 
beautiful ;  and  he  is  worthy  to  be  efteemed  for  it.  For  that 
Conftitution  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  as  has  been  proved. 
And  therefore  a  fallen  World  ought  to  afcribe  to  them- 
felves  all  their  Evil,  and  to  juftify  God,  and  fay,  "  God 
*'  gave  us  Being  under  a  Conftitution  holy,  juft  and  good  \ 
*'  and  it  was  a  Mercy.  ^  We  iliould  have  accounted  it  a 
*'  great  Mercy,  in  cafe  ^Adam  had  never  fallen  -,  but  God 
*'  was  not  to  blame  for  this,  nor  therefore  is  he  the  lefs 
.*'  worthy  of  Thanks.  All  that  we  fuffer,  is  by  and  accord- 
1"  ingto  a  Conftitution  in  it's  own  Nature  holy,  juft  and 
'"  good."  Thus  Mankind  ought  to  have  faid,  had  God 
never  provided  a  Saviour,  but  left  all  the  World  in  Ruin. 
And  thus  ought  they  to  have  juftified  God's  Condu6l,  laid 
all  the  Blame  to  themfelves,and  acknowleged  that  God  de- 
ferved  Praife  from  all  his  Works  ;  which,  as'.they  came 
out  of  his  Hands,  were  all  very  good.  Gen.  i..3^x.- 

Ob  J.  But  altho'  we  were  by  the  Fall  brought .  ihtQ  fuch  a 
State  cfV/rath  and  Condemnationy  yet  now  we  .are.  delivered 

cut 


a7id  dijli7iguifped  from  all  Counterfeits.  291 

out  of  it  by  Chrijl  \   for  as  in  y^i^w  all  die,    fo  in  Christ 
fliali  all  be  made  alive. 

Ans.  Before  Men  believe  in  Chrift,  they  are  as  juftly 
expofed  to  divine  Vengeance,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died. 
Job,  3.  18,  36.  And  tiiere  is  nothing  to  keep  off  Ven- 
geance, one  Moment,  but  fovereign  Mercy  •,  which  yet 
they  continually  affront  and  provoke.  Rom.  2.  4,  5.  And 
they  are  fo  tar  from  an  Inclination  to  turn  to  God  of  their 
own  Accord,  that  they  are  difpofed  to  refift  all  the  Means 
ufed  to  reclaim  them.  Job.  3.  19.  'Tis  true,  God  is  ready 
thro'  Chrift  to  receive  returning  Sinners,  and  invites  all  to 
return  thro'  him.  Thus  God  is  good  and  kind  to  an 
apoftate  World,  and  offers  us  Mercy.  God  is  not  to  blame 
that  we  are  in  fo  bad  a  Cafe  :  our  Deftrudion  is  of  our 
felves,  and  the  Lord  is  righteous.  —  But  flill  it  is  evident, 
we  are  in  a  periiliing  Condition,  and  fhall  certainly  perifii 
notwithllanding  all  that  we  of  our  own  micre  Motion  fhall 
ever  do.  If  fovereign  Grace  don't  prevent,  there  is  no 
hope. 

Obj.  But  if  Mankind  are  thus  by  Nature  Children  of 
JVrath^  in  a  State  of  Being  worfe  than  not  to  be^  and  even  after 
that  Chrifi  has  done^  are  in  themfehes  thus  utterly  undone  ♦, 
t  Men  have  a  Heart  to  propagate  their  Kind  ?    or  ac- 


all 


Inr.cf 


f2cw  can 


count  it  a  Bleffing  to  have  a  numerous  Pofterity  ? 

Ans.  'Tis  manifefl  by  their  Condud,  by  their  negled- 
ing  their  Children's  Souls,  and  caring  only  for  their  Bodies, 
that  Parents  in  general  do  not  propagate  with  any  Con- 
cern about  the  fpiritual  and  eternal  Well-being  of  their 
Pofterity.  'Tis  probable,  in  general  they  are  influenced  by 
the  fame  Motive  that  the  brutal  World  be,  together  with 
a  Defire  to  have  Children  under  the  Notion  of  a  worldly 
Comfort,  without  fcarce  a  Thought  of  what  will  become  of 
their  Pofterity  for  Eternity. 

As  to  godly  Parents,  they  have  fuch  a  Spirit  of  Love  to 
God  and  Resignation  to  his  Will,  and  fuch  an  Approba- 
tion of  his  Difpenfations  toward  Mankind,  and  iuch  a 
liking  to  his  whole  Scheme  of  Government,  that  they  are 
content  that  God  Ihculd  govern  the  World  as  he  does,  and 
that  he  Ihould  have  Subjeds  to  govern,  and  that  them- 
felves  ^nd  their  Pofterity  ihould  be  under  him,  and  at  his 

V  2  difpofe. 


292        7r^^  Religmz  delineated      Dis.  II. 

difpofe.  Nor  are  they  without  hopes  of  Mercy  for  their 
Children,  from  fovereign  Grace  thro'  Chrift,  while  they  do 
thro'  him  devote  and  give  them  up  to  God,  and  bring 
them  up  in  the  Nurture  and  Admonition  of  the  Lord. 
And  thus  they  quiet  themielves  as  to  their  Souls.  And  now 
ccnfidering  Children  merely  as  to  this  Life,  'tis  certain, 
that  it  is  a  great  Comfort  and  BleiTmg  to  Parents,  to  have 
a  promifing  Offspring. 

As  to  carnal  Men,  fmce  they  are  Enemies  to  God  and 
to  his  holy  Law,  it  is  no  wonder  they  are  at  Enmity  againil 
his  whole  Scheme  of  Conduct  as  Governour  ot  the  World. 
Did  they  underftand  how  God  governs  the  World,  and  firm- 
ly believe  it,  I  doubt  not,  it  would  make  ail  their  native 
Enmity  ferment  to  Perfedlion.  They  would  wiih  them- 
felves  to  be  from  under  God's  Government,  and  hate  that 
he  fhould  ever  have  any  Thing  of  theirs  to  govern.  As 
loon  as  ever  they  enter  into  the  eternal  World,  and  fee  how 
Things  really  be,  this  will  no  doubt  actually  be  their  Cafe. — 
In  a  Word,  if  Men  heartily  like  the  original  Conftitution 
with  Adam^  as  being  in  it's  own  Nature  holy,  juft  &  good, 
this  Objection  will,  upon  mature  Confideration,  be  no 
Difficulty  with  them  \  and  if  they  do  not,  'tis  not  any 
Thing  that  can  be  faid,  will  fatisfy  them.  But  wicked 
Men's  not  liking  the  Conftitution,  does  not  prove  it  to  be 
bad. 

Ob  J.  //  cari^t  be  thought  a  BkJJing  to  have  Children^  if  the 
mojl  of  them  are  like  finally  to  perifh. 

Ans.  The  moft  of  Abraham's  Pofterity,  no  doubt,  for 
above  thefe  threeThoufandYears,have  bee.i  wicked  and  have 
perifhed  ;  and  God  knew  before- hand  how  it  would  be  ; 
and  yet  he  promifed  fuch  a  numerous  Pofterity  under  the 
Notion  of  a  great  Blefling,  Ge7i,  22.  For  confidering  Chil- 
dren merely  as  to  this  Life,  they  may  be  a  great  Bleffing 
and  Comfort  to  Parents,  and  an  Honour  to  them  :  but  it 
is  very  fitting,  our  Children  fhould  be  God's  Subjects,  and 
under  his  Government  :  nor  be  they  e'er  the  lefs  Bleftings 
to  us  as  to  this  Life,  becaufe  they  muft  be  accountable  to 
God  in  the  Life  to  come.  They  may  be  a  great  Comfort 
to  us  in  this  Life  -,  and  we  are  certain,  God  will  do  them 
n<3  Wrong  in  thcLifc  to  come,     AH  Men's  murmiuring 

"  '  Thoughts 


aitd  dijlinguipjed from  all  Count erjeits.   293 

Thoughts  about  this  Matter  arife   from  their   not  liking 
God's  Way  of  governing  the  World. 

Rem.  3.  I^hen  do  we  begin  to  make  ajuft  Eftimate  of  the 
Grace^  the  free,  rich  and  glorious  Grace  of  God,  the  great  Go^ 
"oernour  of  the  IVorld,  difplayed  in  the  Gofpel,  when  we  confider 
Mankind,  by  and  accordirig  to  a  Confiitution  and  a  haw,  both 
of  them  holy,  jiifl  and  good,  aEluaUy  in  fiich  a  ruined  State, 
Now  we  may  begin  a  little  to  fee  the  natural  Import  of 
thofe  Words,  God  fo  loved  the  World,  Such  a  World  Vv^as 
it,  that  he  loved  and  pitied,  A  World  in  fo  bad  a  State. 
A  perifhing  World,  finful,  guilty,  jufliy  condemned,  alto- 
gether helplefs  and  undone.  And  to  have  a  Door  opened 
by  the  Blood  of  Chrill,  for  us  to  be  raifed  from  the  Depth 
of  fuchRuin,  is  wonderfulGrace  indeed. — And  in  thisLighc 
does  the  Matter  (land  in  Scripture- Account.  For  accord- 
ing to  that,  By  the  Offence  of  cne^  Judgment  came  upon  all  to 
Condemnation,  and  by  the,  Difchedience  of  one,  many  were  made 
(or  conftitutedj  Sinners,  by  Virtue  of  the  original  Confii- 
tution with  Adam.  *  Rom*-^,  i8,  19.  And  all  the  World 
Hood  guilty  before  God,  by  Virtue  of  their  want  of  Confor- 
mity unto  and  Tranfgreflidn  of  the  Law  of  Nature  or  moral 
Law.  Rom.  3.  9, — 19.  And  hence  Mankind  were  confi- 
dered  as  being  under  Sin,  and  under  the  Curfe  of  the  Law\ 
and  under  the  Wrath  of  God.  Rom.  ^.  ^.  Gal.  3.  10.  Joh. 
3.16.  Rom.  1 .  1 8 .  And  under  this  Notion  Chrift  was  ap- 
pointed, to  fave  his  People  from  their  Sins,  Mat.  i.  21.  to 
deliver  them  from  the  Wrath  to  come,  i  Thef  i.  10.  and  to 
bring  it  to  pafs  that,  whereas  by  the  Difobedience  of  one  many 
were  made  Sinners,  fo  by  the  Obedience  of  one  many  might  be 
made  righteous,  Rom.  5.  19.  And  hence  the  Gofpel  fo 
mightily  magnifies  the  Grace  of  God,  his  Love  and  Good- 
nefs,  as  being  unparallel'd,  unfpeakable,  inconceivable, 
pairing  Knowlege.  God  fo  loved  the  Worlds  fays  Chrifl, 
God  commendeth  his  Love,  faith  Paul.  Herein  is  Love^  fays 
John.  It  has  Height  and  Length,  Depth  and  Breadth,  It  is 
rich  Grace  ;  and  the  exceeding  Riches  of  Grace.  And  why  ? 
why  is  it  fo  magnified  and  extolled  ?  why,  for  this,  among 

V  3  other 


Conjlituted Sinners,  it  is  in  the  Original ;  for  it  was  by  Virtue  of  tl.ir 
primitive  Confiitution  with  Adam,  that  his  firft  Sia  laid  Si.U  hij  Poflai.y 
under  Sin,  Guilt  and  Ruin, 


2  94  True  Religion  deliiteated      Dis.  II. 

other  Reafons,  becaufe  all  this  was  done  while  12:6  did  net 
love  God,  while  we  were  Sinners^  while  we  were  Ungodly^ 
while  wc  were  Enemies^  while  we  were  expo  fed  to  Wrath  ^ 
guilty  before  God^  perifloing^  lofl,  'vuithcut  Strength.  Thus 
God  has  reprefented  it  in  his  Word,  his  JVcrd  which  is  the 
Image  of  his  Mind,  and  which  ll^iews  us  how  he  looks 
upon  Things,  and  how  they  really  are.  See  Jch.7^.16^06. 
Rom.  5.  6,  7,  8.  I  J  oh.  4.  10.  Eph.  1.7.  and  2.  J.,^: 
and  3.  19.  ^^]Jlt.  iS,  II.  (^c. 

Never  therefore  can  a  Sinner  rightly  underftand  the 
Gofpel  of  Chrift,  or  fee  his  Need  of  the  Provifion  therein 
madejOr  in  lur,  Meafure  make  a  juft  Eftimate  of  the  Grace 
of  God  therein  difplayed,  until  he  is  in  Ibme  Meafure  con- 
vinced and  made  really  fenfible,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  that 
he  is  aftually  in  fucli  a  finful,  guilty,  helplefs,  undone  Con- 
dition. This  therefore  is  abfolutely  necefiary,  in  order  to 
a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel  by  Faith  in  Jefjs 
Chriil.  Luk.  5.  31.  For  the  whole  need  not  a  Fhyftcian^  hut 

they  that  are  Jick. And  as ''mis  is  requlHte  in  order  to 

the  firfl  A6b  of  Faith  •,  fo  for"  • ' '-  ^">me  Reafon  muft  we  all 
our  Days  live  under  a  reali'  a~\{^  of    this  our  frnful, 

guilty,  undone  Eftate,  by  Nature,  and  in  our  felves,  in 
order  to  live  by  Faith.  And  this  will  make  Chrift  preci- 
OUSj  and  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel  precious  •,  and  efFcdlually 
awaken  us  to  Gratitude  and  fhankfulnefs  ;  for  now  every 
Tiling  in  our  Circumilances,  v/herein  w^e  are  better  of  it 
thv^n  the  Damned,  will  be  accounted  fo  great  a  Mercy,  and 
the  Effccl:  of  mere  Grace.  And  fo  fir  as  v;e  are  from  a 
clear  Sight  and  realifing  "^.'^wi^  of  this  our  finful,  guilty, 
lYndone  Eflate  ;  fo  far  fiiali  we  be  infenfible  of  the  Preci- 
oulhcfs  of  Chriil,and  the  frcenefs  of  Grace,and  the  greatnefs 
of  God's  Meiv:y  towards  us. 

Thus,  having  conHdered  the  Grounds  upon  which  the 
rnoil-  high  God  did  look  upon  Mankind  as  being  in  a  pe- 
liiliihg  Condition,  and  the  Moti^ces  whereby  he  was  excited 
to  enter  upon  any  Methods  for  their  Recovery  •,  we  pro- 
c/;ed  now. more  particularly  to  ccnfider  the  Ways  and  Msans 
).ic  has  taken  and  ufed  to  bring  it  about. 

Section 


'  a7id  dijimguijhedfrom  all  Counter feiis,    29  5 
Section     HI. 

Concer7iing  the  Nature  arid  Necejjfity  of 
.Satisfaction  for  Sin. 
I  am  now, 
III,  To  fhew  ijohat  NeceJJity  there  'Kas  for  a  Mediator^ 
and  how  the  Way  to  Life  has  been  opened  by  him  whom  God 
has  provided.  It  is  plainly  fuppofed,  that  there  was  a  Ne- 
ceflity  of  a  Mediator,  and  of  fuch  a  one  too  as  God  has 
a6lually  provided,  in  order  to  our  Salvation  •,  for  otherwife 
it  had  been  no  Love  or.  Gcodnefs  in  God  to  have  given  his 
only  begotten  Son.  For  there  can  be  no  Love  or  .Goodnefs 
in  his  doing  that  for  us  which  we  do  not  need,  and  without 
v/hich  we  might  have  been  faved  as  well.  Nor  is  it  to  be 
fuppofed,  that  God  would  give  his  Son,  to  die  for  a  guilty 
World,  without  urgent  Neccjfity,  If  fome  cheaper  &  eafier 
Way  might  have  been  found  out,  he  vvould  furely  have 
fpared  his  beloved  Son  :  ;^l|f%ad  no  Inclination  to  make 
light  of  his  Son's  Blood  :  it  was  a  great  ning  for  a  GOD 
to  become  incarnate^  an3^f ;  and  there  mull;  therefore 
have  been  fome  very  urgent  Confiderations,  to  induce  the 
wife  Governour  of  the  World  to  fuch  an  Expedient.  And 
here  then  thefe  Things  m.ay  be  particularly  inquired  into. 

1.  What  NecelTity  was  thjfe  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin  ? 

2.  What  Satisfaction  has  tlfere  been  m^ade  ?  And  where- 
in does  it's  Sufficienc^onfiit  ? 

3.  How   has  thogpiVay  to  Life  ^otQn  opened  by  the 
Means  } 

4.  What  Methods  has  the  great  Governour  of  the  World 
entered  upon,for  the  actualRccovery  of  fmfulCreatures  ? 

I .  We  are  to  confider  what  Neceffity  there  was  of  Satis- 
faction  for  Sin,  It  was  needful,  or  elfe  ne  Satisfaftion  would 
have  been  ever  required  or  made.  And  the  Neceffity  was 
certainly  very  great  and  urgent,  or  the  Father  would  never 
have  been  willing  to  have  given  his  Son^  or  the  Son  to  have 
undertaken  the  Work,  a  Work  attended  v/ith  fo  much  La- 
bour and  Suffering.  But  why  was  it  necelTary  ^  This,  I 
think,  will  appear,  if  we  deliberately  and  ferioufly  weigh 
thefe  Things.  .     i:    .   '.'. 

y  4  (I.)  ^^v/ 


296        True  Religion  deli7tealed       Dis.  11. 

(i.)  T'hat  God  the  great  Creator^  Preferver^  and  ahfolute 
Lord  of  the  ivhoU  Worlds  is,  not  only  a  Bebjg  of  infiyiite  Un- 
derfianding  and  nlmighty  Power,  but  alfo  a  Being  infinite  and 
unchangeable  in  all  moral Prcpenfities :  he  IcvesRight  and  hates 
Wrong  to  an  infiyiite  Degree,  and  unchangeably  :  or  in  Scrip- 
iure-Language,  he  thus  loves  Right eov.fnefs  and  hates  Iniquity. 
By  his  infinite  Underflanding,  he  ki^s  all  Things,  as  being 
what  they  really  are.  Whatfoever  is  fit  -  and  right,  he  be- 
holds as  being  fuch :  and  whatfoever  is  unfit  and  wrong, 
be  alfo  beholds  as  being  ilich.  And  as  are  his  Views,  fo  is 
the  Temper  of  his  Heart ;  he  infinitely  loves  that  which  is 
fit  and  right,  and  infinitely  hates  that  which  is  unfit  and 
wrong.  Or  in  other  Words,  he  has  an  infinite  Senfe  of 
the  moral  Fitnefs  &  Unfitnefs  of  Things,and  an  anfwerablc 
Frame  of  Heart,  i.  e.  infinitely  loves  the  one,  and  infinite- 
ly hates  the  other.  From  Eternity  God  has  had  an  Ali- 
comprehenfive  View  of  Things,  of  every  Thing  that  was 
pofTible  to  be  or  that  actually  v,^ouid  be,  and  of  all  theRelati- 
ons  oneBeing  would  bear  to  another,  and  the  Relation  that 
all  woulci  bear  to  him,  and  has  feen  v/hatCondudl;  would  be 
right  and  fit  in  him  towards  thelii,  and  in  them  towards 
him  and  towards  one  another,  and  what  would  be  wrong  ; 
and  from  Eternity  it  has  been  his  Nature,  infinitely  to  love 
that  which  is  right,  and  hate  that  which  is  wrong.  And 
this  his  Nature  has  influenced  him  in  all  his  Condu{5l,  as 
moral  Governour  of  the  World  -,  and  he  has  given  fo 
bright  a  Reprefentation  of  it,  that  this.feems  to  be  the  firft 
and  moil  natural  Idea  of  God  that  we^n  attain.  It  fhines 
thro'  all  the  Scriptures,  thro'  the  Law  and  the  Gofpcl,  and 
thro'  his  v/hole  Condu6l  in  a  thoufand  Initances. 

God  does  not  appear  to  be  a  Being  infiuenced,acled,  and 
governed  by  a  groundlefs  arbitrary  Self-Will,  having  no 
Regard  to  right  Reafon,  to  the  moral  Fitnefs  andUnfitnefs 
of  Things :  nor  does  he  appear  to  be  a  Being  governed  and 
aded  by  a  groundlefsFondnefs  to  his  Creatures.  It  a  Thing 
is  not  right,  he  will  not  do  it,  merely  becaufe  he  is  above 
Controul,  is  the  grcatcit  and  ilrongefl,  and  can  bear  down 
all  before  him.  Gen.  18.  25.  And  if  a  Thing  is  wrong,  he 
will  not  connive  at  it,  at  all,  becaufe  it  was  aded  by  his 
Creatures,  aliho'  ever  fo  dear  to  him,  and  altho'  the  moll 

exalted 


ajid diJlinguiJJoedfrom  all  Counterfehs,    icj'j 

exalted  in  Dignity,  Honour  andPriviledges.  For  Inftance, 
\.\\Q.  finning  Angels^  finning  Jdam^thc  Ifraelites  in  the  Wilder- 
nels,  his  peculiar  People.  Mofes^  for  fpeaking  unadvifedly 
with  his  Lips,  fhall  not  enter  into  Canaan.  David.,  the 
Man  after  his  own  Heart,  he  finned  ;  and  the  Sword^  fays 
God,  floall  not  depart  from  thy  Houfe.  Yea,  he  fpared  not 
his  own  Sony  when  he  flood  in  the  Room  of  Sinners.  If 
he  had  been  g(!)verncd  by  ^ny  Thing  like  human  Fondnefs, 
furely  it  would  now  have  appeared.  And  befidcs,  if  that 
were  the  Cafe,  he  could  never  bear  to  fee  the  Damned  lie 
in  the  dreadful  Torments  of  Hell  to  all  Eternity.  Indeed, 
by  all  he  has  faid,  and  by  all  he  has  done,  he  appears  to 
have  an  infinite  Senfe  of  the  moral  Fitnefs  and  Unntnefs  of 
Things,  and  an  anf\s^rable  Frame  of  rieart  •,  and  to  be 
governed  and  adtuated  by  this  Temper,  under  the  Direc- 
tion of  infinite  Wifdcm.  Hence,  as  is  liis  Nature.,  fo  is 
the  Name  which  he  has  taken  to  himfelf,  viz.  The  HOLT 
ONE  of  Ifrael 

It  is  true,  he  is  a  Being  of  infinite  Goodnefs  &  Mercy  ; 
yet  that  is  not  a  fond.,  but  2,  holy  Propenfity,  under  the  Go- 
vernment of  infinite  Wifdom  :  that  is,  he  confiders  the 
Happinefs  and  Good  of  his  Creatures,  his  intelligent  Crea- 
tures, as  being  what  it  is.  He  fees  what  it  is  worth,  and 
of  how  great  Importance  it  is  •,  and  how  much  to  be  de- 
fired,  in  it  felf,  and  compared  with  other  Things  :  he  fees 
it  to  be  juit  what  it  really  is,  and  has  an  anfwerable  Difpo- 
fition  of  Heart,  i.e.  Isdelirous  of  theirHappinefs,and  averfe 
to  their  Mifery,  in  an  exacl  Proportion  to  the  real  Nature 
of  the  Things  in  thcmfelves.  It  is  true,  fo  great  is  his 
Benevolence,  that  there  is  not  any  Adl  of  Kindnefs  or  Grace 
fo  great,  but  that  he  can  find  in  his  Heart  to  do  it,  yea, 
has  an  infinite  Inclination  to  do  it  \  if,  allThings  confider- 
ed,in  his  unerring  Wifdom,  he  judges  it  fit  and  belt.  And 
yet  at  the  fame  Time  it  is  as  true,  fuch  is  the  perfedt  Rec- 
titude and  fpotlefs  Purity  of  his  Nature,  that  there  is  not 
any  Ad:  of  Juflice  fo  tremendous,  or  any  Mifery  fo  dread- 
ful, but  that  he  can  find  in  his  Heart,  his  Creatures  Hap- 
pinefs notwithftanding,  to  do  that  A61  of  Juftice,  ahd  in- 
fli6l  thatMifery,  if  Need  fo  require  ;  yea,  he  has  an  infinite 
Inclination  thereto.  He  regards  their  Happinefs  and  Mi- 
fery 


298  True  Religio?z  delineated     Dis.   II. 

fery  as  being  what  they  are,  of  very  great  Importance  in 
themfelves,  but  of  little  Importance  compared  with  fome- 
thing  elfc.  He  had  rather  the  whole  Syltem  of  intelligent 
Creatures  fhould  lie  in  Hell  to  all  Eternity,  than  do  the 
very  leaft  Thing,  that  is  in  it  felf  unfit  and  wrong.  Yea, 
if  it  was  put  to  his  own  Cafe,  if  we  could  poflibiy  fuppofe 
fuch  a  Thing,  he  would  make  it  appear,  that  he  does  as 
he  would  be  done  by,  when  he  punifhes  Sinners  to  all 
Eternity.  It  was  in  a  Sort  put  to  his  own  Cafe  once,  when 
his  Son,  who  was  as  himfilf,  ftood  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty 
World  •,  and  his  Heart  did  not  fail  him  \  but  ne  appeared 
as  great  an  Enemy  to  Sin  then,  as  ever  he  did  or  will  do  to 
all  Eternity.  His  treating  his  Son  as  he  did  in  the  Garden 
and  upon  the  Crofs,  immediately  hlmfelf  and  by  his  In- 
llruments,  was  as  bright  an  Evidence  of  the  Temper  of  his 
Heart,as  if  he  had  damned  the  whole  World.  He  appear- 
ed what  he  was  then,  as  much  as  he  will  at  the  Day  of 
Judgment.  He  is  infinite  in  Goodnefs  ;  yet  he  is  infinitely 
averfe  to  do  anyAft  ot  Kindncfs,  at  the  Expence  of  Juflice, 
from  mere  Fondnefs  to  his  Creatures. 

And  as  his  Goodnefs  is  not  Fondnefs,  fo  his  Juflice  is 
not  Cruelty.  He  infinitely  hates  that  which  is  unfit  and 
wrong,  and  is  difpofed  to  teftify  that  his  hatred  in  fome 
vifible  publick  Manner,  by  infiicling  fome  proportionable 
Puniihment.  Not  becaufe  Sinners  hurt  him,  and  fo  make 
him  angry  and  reverl^eful ;  for  their  Obedience  can  do  him 
no  good,  nor  their  Difobedience  any  hurt.  Job  ^S-^^J-  Nor 
indeed  fomuch  becaufe  they  hurt  themfelves ;  for  it  they  did 
wrong  in  no  other  Refuedt,  he  v;ould  never  treat  them  with 
fuch  Severity.  But  this  is  the  Truth  of  the  Cafe  ;  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World  has  an  infinite  Senfe  of  the  moral 
Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs  of  Things,  and  an  anfwerablc  Frame 
of  Heart.  And  fo  he  infinitely  loves  that  which  is  fit,  and 
commands  and  rewards  it  •,  and  infinitely  hates  the  contrary, 
and  forbids  and  puniflies  it. —  Only  it  muft  be  remembered, 
that  the  Rewards  he  grants  to  the  good,  arc  of  mere  Bounty 
as  to  them,  becaufe  they  can  deferve  nothing.  Rom.  11.35. 
But  the  Punifhments  he  inflids  on  the  Wicked,  are  pure 
Juftice,  becaufe  they  deferve  all.  Rom.  6.  23.  For  altho* 
Creatures  cannot  merit  Good  at  the  Hands  of  .God,  from 

whom 


and  dijlinguijhed frOfU  all  Coimterfeiis.    299 

whom  they  receive  all,  and  to  whom  they  owe  all  \  yet 
they  can  merit  Evil.  Neverthelefs  Rewards  and  Panifh- 
ments  are  both  alike  in  this  Reipe6l,  viz.  that  they  are 
vifible  publick  Teilimonies  born  by  the  Governour  of  the 
World,  to  the  moral  Amiablenefs  of  Virtue,  on  the  one 
Hand,  and  to  the  moral  Hatefulnefs  of  Vice,  on  the  other. 
The  one  is  not  the  Effed  of  Fondnefs,  nor  the  other  of 
Cruelty  :  but  the  one  refults  from  the  Holinefs  and  Good- 
nefs  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  the  other  from  his  Hohnefs 
and  Juftice.  By  the  one,  it  appears  how  he  loves  Virtue, 
and  how  exceeding  bountiful  he  is  i  and  by  the  other,  how 
he  hates  Sin,  and  how  much  he  is  difpofed  to  difcounte- 
nance  it,  by  treating  it  as  being  what  it  is. 

Thus,  I  fay,  in  the  firfl  Place,  we  muft  confider  Go;^,*:hc 
fupreme  Governour  of  the  World,  as  a  Being,  not  only  of 
iniinite  Underflanding  and  almighty  Power,  but  alfo  infi- 
nite and  unchangeable  in  all  moral  Propenfities  :  As  one 
having  a  perfedl  Senfe  of  the  moral  Fitnefs  and  Unfitnefs 
of  Things,  and  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart.  Or  in  Scrip- 
ture-Language, Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  Almighty  -,  the 
holy  one  of  Ifrael  The  Lord  God  gracious  and  merciful,  hut 
by  no  Means  'clearing  the  guilty.  Of  pirer  Eyes  than  to  behold 
Ini(imty.  Who  loveth  Righteoufnefs  and  hateth  Iniquity.  Who 

renders   to  every    07ie  according  to  their  Doings,  &c. 

Without  aright  Idea  of  God  the  fupremeGovernour  of  ths 
V/orld,  and  a  realifmg  living  Senfe  of  him  on  our  Hearts, 
it  is  impofTible  we  fhould  rightly  underfland  the  Methods 
he  has  taken  to  open  a  Way  for  his  Mercy  to  come  out 
after  a  rebellious  guilty  World,  or  truly  fee  into  the 
Grounds  of  his  Condud,  the  Reafons  of  his  doing  as  he 
has  done.  If  we  know  God,  and  have  a  Tafle  for  moral 
Beauty,  wejQiall  be  in  a  Difpofition  to  underfland  the  Gof- 
pel ;  but  otherwife  we  fhall  not.  Joh.  7.  17.  and  8.  47. 
For  in  the  whole  of  this  great  Affair  of  our  Redemption,  he 
has  a6led  altogether  like  himfelf. 

(2.)  God  is  infinitely  excellent, glorious  and aviiable^in  being 
what  he  is.  His  having  fuch  a  Nature  or  Temper,  and  at 
the  fame  Time  being  of  infinite  Underflanding  and  al- 
mighty Power,renders  him  infinitely  excellent,  glorious  and 
amiable,  far  beyond  the  Conceptions  of  any  finite  Mind. 

Ifai, 


300        True  Religmi  deli?2eated        Dis.  II. 

Ifai.  6.  3.  Hcly\  Holy^  Holy  Lord  Cod  Almighty^  the  whole 
Earth  is  full  of  thy  Glory. 

Hence,  God  loves^  efteems  and  delights  in  himfelf  infinitely. 
Not  indeed  from  what  we  call  a  felfifh  Spirit  •,  for  could  we 
fuppofe  there  was  another  juft  what  he  is,  and  himfelf  an 
Inferior,  he  would  love,  efteem  and  delight  in  that  other, 
as  entirely  as  he  does  now  in  himfelf  It  is  his  being  what 
is,  that  is  the  Ground  of  his  Self-Love,  Efteem  &  Delight. 

Hence  again.  He  loves  to  a5i  like  himfelf^  in  all  his  Con- 
du6l  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World,  as  entirely  as  he 
loves  himfelf  \  and  it  is  as  much  contrary  to  his  Nature^  to 
counter  ah  the  'Temper  of  his  Heart,  in  his  publick  Conduct, 
as  to  ceafe  to  be  what  he  is.  And  the  plain  Realbn  is,  that 
there  is  the  fame  Ground  for  the  one  as  for  the  other.  He 
loves  himfelf,  becaufe  he  is  moft  excellent,  in  being,  what 
he  is  :  And  for  the  fame  Keafon,  he  loves  to  aCl  like  him- 
felf, becaufe  that  is  moft  excellent  too.  He  cannot  be  wil- 
ling  to  ceafe  to  be  of  that  Temper  or  Nature  he  is  of,  be- 
caufe it  is  moft  excellent  ;  and  for  the  fame  Reafon,  he 
cannot  be  willing  to  counteract  it,  becaufe  it  is  moft  excel- 
lent to  ad  agreeably  to  it  in  all  Things.  He  is  under  Ne- 
cefTity  to  love  himfelf  •,  and  he  is  under  the  fame  Neceffity 
to  ad:  like  himfelf  Gen.  18.  25.  Hence  it  is  a  common 
Thing  for  God  in  great  Earneftnefs  to  fay  in  his  Word,  1 
will  do  fo  andfo,  and  theyfhall  KNOPF  THAT  I  AM  J  HE 
LORD.  As  if  he  fnould  fay,  "  A  guilty  rebellious  Race 
"  may  think  and  fay  what  they  will  of  me,  yet  I  am  what 
*^  I  am,  and  I  will  ad  like  my  felf,  and  all  the  World  fliall 
"  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  i.  e.  that  I  am  what  I  pretend 
"  to  be  :  They  fhall  know  it  by  my  Condud,  fooner  or' 
"  later." 

('^).  God  cannot  be  f aid  to  a5i  like  himfelf .^tinlefs he  appears^ 
as  great  an  Enemy  to  Sin,  in  his  publick  Government  of  the 
IVorldy  as  he  really  is  at  Heart.  If  his  Condud  as  moral 
Governour  of  the  World,  the  whole  being  taken  together, 
Ihould  look  with  a  more  favourable  Afped  towards  Sin,  or 
appear  lefs  fevere,  than  really  he  is  ;  then  it  is  felf-evident 
that  his  Condud  would  not  be  Hke  himfelf,  nor  would  it 
tend  to  exhibit  a  true  Idea  of  him  to  all  attentive  Spec- 
tators in  all  his  Dominions,     If  his  Creatures  and  Subjeds, 

in 


and  dijiinguijjjed  from  all  Counterfeits.   301 

in  fuch  a  Cafe,  fhould  judge  of  his  Nature  byhis  ConduEf^ 
they  would  neceflarily  trame  wrong  Notions  of  the  divine 
Being.  And  he  hinifelf  muft  fee  and  know,  that  he  did 
not  ac>  Hke  himfelf ;  nor  appear  in  his  Conducfl  to  be  what 
he  was  in  his  Heart. 

But  God,  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World,  does  at 
Heart  look  upon  Sin  as  an  infinite  Evil,  and  his  Averfion 
and  Enmity  to  it  is  infinite.  He  Icoics  upon  it,  and  ( to 
fpeak  of  him  after  the  Manner  of  Men  )  is  atfe^ted  towards 
it,  as  being  what  it  really  is.  But  it  is  infinitely  wrong 
and  wicked,  for  us  not  to  love  him  with  all  our  Heart  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing  :  The  lead  Sin  is  an  infiniteEvil ; 

and  fuch  he  fees  it  to  be,  and  as  fuch  does  he  abhor  it. 

The  infinite  Evil  of  Sin  does  not  confill  in  it's  lefiening 
God's  elTential  Glory  or  Blelfednefs  ;  for  they  are  both  in- 
dependent on  us,  and  far  out  of  our  Reach  :  nor  does  it 
confifr  merely  in  it's  Tendency  to  make  us  miferable.  But 
in  it's  own  Nature  it  is  infinitely  wrong,  in  as  much  as  v/e 
are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  perfect  Holinefs.  Our  Ob- 
ligations to  love  God  with  all  our  Heart,  are  in  Proportion 
to  his  Amiablenefs  \  but  that  is  infinite  :  not  to  do  fo  there- 
fore is  infinitely  wrong.  But,  as  has  been  faid,  God  has 
an  infiniteSenfe  of  the  moralFitnefs  and  Unntnefs  ofThings, 
and  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart,  i.  e.  he  infinitely  loves 
that  which  is  right,and  infinitely  hates  that  which  is  wrong. 
And  therefore  he  infinitely  hates  the  leaft  Sin. 

If  therefore  he  acls  like  himfelf,  he  mufl  in  his  publick 
Government  of  the  World,  his  whole  Conduct  being  taken 
together,  appear  in  the  moft  evident  Manner  to  be  an  infi* 
nite  Enemy  to  the  leafl  Sin.  He  muft  appear  infinitely 
fevere  againil  it  \  and  never  do  any  Thing,  which,  all 
Things  confidered,  feems  to  look  at  all  with  another  Af- 
ped. 

(4.)  God  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  cmft  be  faid 
to  appear  an  infinite  Enemy  to  Sin,  and  to  appear  infinitely 
fevere  againji  it,  and  that  without  the  leafl  Appearance  of  a 
favourable  Afpe5t  towards  it,  in  his  Condu^  •,  unlefs  he  does 
always  throughout  all  his  Dominions,not  only  in  Word  threaten, 
hut  in  Fa^  punifh  it,  with  infinite  Severity,  without  the  leaft 
Mitigation  or  Abatement^  in  any  one  Infta?ice  whatfoever. 


302  T'rue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

If  he  fV.ould  never, in  hisGovernment  of  the  World,  fay  or 
do  any  living  againilSinjit  v/ould  feem  as  if  he  was  a  Friend 
to  it,  or  at  leaft  very  indifterenc  about  it.  It  he  fliould  fay 
and  not  do,  threaten  to  punifhjbut  never  infiidt  the  Funiffi- 
menc,  his  Creatures  and  Subjedts  might  be  tempted  to  fay, 
"  He  pretends  to  be  a  mighty  Enemy  to  Sin,  and  that 
is  all."  If  he  fhould  generally  punifh  Sin  with  infinite 
Severity,  but  not  always  j  there  would  at  leafl  be  fom.e 
favourable  Afpedt  towards  Sin,  in  his  viable  Condudt.  And 
his  Subjecls  might  be  ready  to  fay,  "  If  he  can  fufier  Sin 
"  to  go  half  unpuniflied,  why  not  altogether  ?  and  if  alto- 
"  gether  at  one  Time,  why  not  at  another  ?  And  if  he 
"  can  abate  the  threatned  Puniihment  in  fom.e  Degree,  in 
''  fon»ie  Inftances  ;  why  not  altogether,  in  ail  Inilances  ? 
*'  If  there  is  no  abfoluteNeceiTity  that  Sin  fnould  be  punifii- 
*'  ed,  w^hy  does  he  ever  punifli  it  1  But  if  it  be  absolutely 
"  necellary,  why  does  he  ever  fufFer  it  to  go  unpuniflied  ?" 
It  would  feem  at  leaft,  by  fuch  a  Condud,  as  if  Sin  was 
not  fo  exceeding  bad  a  Thing,  but  that  it  might  efcape 
Punifnment  fometimes :  and  as  if  God  was  not  fuch  an 
infinite  unchangeable  Enemy  to  it,  but  that  he  might  be 
difpofed  to  treat  it  with  a  little  Favour.  In  a  'Word,  if  God 
fnould  always  punifh  Sins,  not  one  excepted,  and  that 
throughout  all  his  Dominions,  and  yet  not  do  it  always 
with  infinite  Severity  -,  but  in  fome  Inflances,  one  in  a  Mil- 
lion weMl  fay,  fliould  abate  a  little,  and  but  a  very  little  •, 
yet  fo  much  as  he  abates,  be  it  more  or  lefs,  fo  much  dees 
he  treat  Sin  in  a  favourable  Manner,  and  fo  much  does  he 
fall  fhort  of  treating  it  with  due  Severity,  and  fo  far  does 
he  appear  in  his  Condu6t  from  being  an  infinite  unchangea- 
ble Enemy  to  it.  So  that  it  is  very  evident,  that  he  cannot, 
in  hisCondu61:  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World,appear  an 
infinite  unchangeable  Enemy  to  Sin,  without  the  leafl  Ap- 
pearance to  the  contrary,  in  any  other  pofTible  Way  or 
Method,  than  by  always  punifhing  it  with  infinite  Severity, 
without  the  leafl  Abatement,  in  any  one  Inflance,  in  any 
Part  of  his  Dominions,  in  Time  or  Eternity.  And  this 
would  be  to  adt  like  himfelf  ♦,  and  in  and  by  fuch  a  Condud, 
he  would  appear  to  be  what  he  is.  But  to  do  ctherwife, 
would  be  to  counterad  his  own  Nature,  and  give  a  falfe 

Reprefentation 


arid  didtngtitped  from  all  Counterfeits    303 

Reprefentation  of  his  Heart,  by  a  Condudl  unlike  him- 
felf. 
•^.^•T^hus,  it  is  the  Nviturc  of  God,  the  great  Governor  of 
•ihc  World,  in  all  his  Condudt,  to  act  like  himfelf :  Bat  he 
canft  be  faid  to  a6t  like  himfelf,  unlefs  he  appears  as  great 
an  Enemy  to  Sin  and  as  fevere  againft  it,  as  he  really  is, 
\vithout  the  lead  Shadow  of  the  contrary  :  but  his  Conduct 
cannot  appear  in  this  Light,  unlefs  he  does  in  Facl  punilh 
Sin  with  infinite  Severity,  thro'out  all  hisDominions,with- 
out  the  lead  Mitigation,  in  any  one  Indance,  irr  Time  or 
Eternity  :  therefore,  it  is  the  Nature  of  God,  theGovernour 
of  the  World,  to  do  fo  :  And  therefore,  he  can  no  fooner, 
nor  any  cafier,  be  willing,  to  let  any  Sin  go  unpuniflied, 
than  he  can,  to  ceafe  to  be  what  he  is.  *  For,  as  was  before 
proved,  it  is  as  impolTible  for  him  to  a6l  contrary  to  his 
ovvn  Nature,  as  it  is  to  ceafe  to  be  what  he  is :  and  he  can 
confent  to  the  one,  as  eafily,  as  to  the  other. 

Hence,  we  may  learn,  this  is  rerdly  a  Branch  of  the  Law 
of  Nature^  ^hat  Sin  ffjciild  be  punijljcd :  it  refults  from  the 
Nature  of  God,  the  Governour  of  the  Y/orld:  it  was  no 
arbitrary  Conditution  :  it  did  not  refult  from  the  divine 
Sovereignty.  It  would,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  have 
been  no  Evil, for  Adam  to  have  eaten  of  the7r<?^  of  Knowlegey 
had  not  God  forbidden  it  •,  herein  God  exercifed  his  io^t- 
reign  Authority,  as  abfolute  Lord  of  all  Things  :  But  m 
threatning  Sin  witli  eternal  Death,  he  a6led  not  as  a  fove- 
reign,but  as  a  righteous  Governour  :  his  Nature  prompted 
him  to  do  fo  ;  -he  could  not  have  done  otherwife.  As  it  is 
faid  in. another  Cafe,  It  is  impoffihle  for  God  to  lie  ;  fo  it  may 
be  faid  here,  It  is  impofiible  forGod  to  let  Sin  go  unpunifn- 
ed.  As  he  cannot  go  counter  to  himfelf /;/y/)^^.&^,  fo 
neither  in  atling,  'Tis  as  contrary  to  his  Nature,  to  iet-Sin 
go  unpunifhed,  as  it  is  to  lie  •,  for  his  Juftice  is  as  much 

himfelf, 

*  God's  mild  and  kind  Condu6l  towards  a  guilty  World  at  prefent,  is 
"^  nothing  inconfiftent  with  this  ;  bccaufe  Mankind  are  now  dealt  with 
^  in  and  thro'  a  Mediator,  upon  whom  our  Shis  ha^ve  been  laid^  and 
V^  who  has  been  made  a  Curfe  for  us.  Inhim,our  Sins  have  been  treated 
«-r^-ith.  infinite  Severity,  without  the  leail  Abatement.  But  for  this, 
y^ -God's  Conduct,  no  doubtjwould  be  ve;-y  inconfiflent  with  his  PerfsLH- 


304         True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

himfelf,  as  his  ^ruth  ;  and  it  is  therefore  equally  impcfli- 
ble  he  iliould  adl  contrary  to  either. 

Hence,  thisBranch  of  the  Law  of  Nature  is  not  capable  cf 
av.y  Repeal  or  Abatement,  For  fmce  it  necelfarily  lefults 
from  the  Nature  of  God  the  Governour  of  the  World,  it 
inuft  necelTarily  remain  in  Force  fo  long  as  God  continues 
to  be  what  he  is.  Eefides,  if  God  Ihouid  repeal  it,  he  muft 
not  only  counteract  his  own  Nature,  but  alfo  give  great 
Occafion  to  all  hisSubjefts  to  think,  he  was  once  too  fevere 
againfb  Sin,  and  that  now  he  had  altered  his  Mind,  and 
v;as  become  more  favourable  towards  it :  Which  he  can  no 
more  be  wiUing  to  do,  than  he  can  be  willing  adually  to 
ceafe  to  be  what  he  is.  For  as  he  loves  himfelf  perfectly 
for  being  what  he  is,  fo  he  perfectly  loves  to  adl  like  him- 
felf, and  to  appear  in  his  Condu6l  juil  as  he  is  in  his  Heart. 
Therefore  our  Saviour  expreily  aiierts,  That  Heaien  and 
Earth  Jh all pafs  away^  but  not  one  Jot  or  Tittle  cf  the  Law 
jhallfail  Matt.  5.  18. 

C  5 . )  But  all  this  notwithfianding^  yet  God  did,  of  his  infinite 
Gocdnefs  and  fovereign  Grace^  entertain  Befigns  of  Mercy  to- 
wards  a  fallen  V/crld^  a  rebellions^  chftinate^  ftubborn^  M^'^fnh 
guilty^  Hell- def craving  Race^  under  the  righteous  Coridcmnation 
cf  the  Law^  a  Law  like  himfelf,  holy,  jujt  and  good.  Particu- 
larly, he  defigned  to  declare  himfelt  reconcilable  to  this  fin- 
ful,guiltyWorld  •,  to  putMankind  into  a  new  State  of  Pro- 
bation ;  to  try  and  fee  if  they  would  repent  and  return  unto 
him, and  to  ufe  a  Variety  of  Methods  for  their  Recovery. — 
And  to  make  Way  for  this,  he  defigned  to  reprieve  a  guilty 
World,  for  a  certain  Space  of  Time,  from  that  utter  Ruin 
he  had  threatned  ,  and  to  grant  a  Sufficiency  of  the  good 
Things  of  this  Life  for  their  Support,  while  in  a  State  of 
Probation  :  and  he  alfo  purpofed  to  grant  a  general  Re- 
furredtion  from  the  Dead,  that  thofe  who  (hould  return  to 
him  and  be  reconciled,  might  be   moll  compleatly  happy 

in  the  World  to  come. And  becaufe  he  knew  their 

Averfion  to  a  Reconciliation,  therefore  he  defigned  to  ufc 
a  Variety  of  external  Means  to  bring  them  to  it.^ —  And  be- 
caufe he  knew  that  Mankind  would  be  univerfally  difpofed 
to  hate  all  fuch  Means  (not  liking  to  have  God  in  theirKncw- 
lege)  and  caft  them  gff  and  get  from  under  them,  therefore 
*  -  be 


and  difiinguipjcd from  all  Cot/nierfeits.  305 

he  defigned  in  his  fovereign  Grace  to  feletft  fome  Part  of 
Mankind,  (the  Jews  for  Inftance  )  with  whom,  by  his  fpe- 
cial  Providence,  by  the  more  open  or  fecret  Workings  of 

his  almighty  Power,  fuchMeans  fhould  be  continued. 

And  in  the  Fulnefs  of  Time,  he  purpofed  alfo  to  ufe  equal, 
yea,  greater  Means  with  various  Nations  of  the  Gentiles, — • 
And  becaufe  he  knew  that  all  externalMeans  notwithftand- 
ing,  yet  all  with  one  Confent,  would  refufe  to  repent  and 
convert  and  be  reconciled,  therefore  he  defigned  by  hisPro- 
vidence  and  by  the  more  common  Influences  of  his  Spirit, 

to  take  fome  farther  Pains  with  many,   and  try  them. 

And  becaufe  he  knew  that  this  would  never  efFedually  per- 
fwade  them,  thro'  the  great  Perverfenefs  of  Mankind  ; 
therefore  he  defigned,  by  the  fpecial  Influences  of  his  holy 
Spirit,  thro'  his  almxighty  Power  and  all-conquering  Grace, 
all  their  Obftinacy  notwithftanding,  yet  to  reclaim  and  re- 
cover and  bring  Home  to  himfelf,  a  certain  Number  in  this 
World  ;  and  here  train  them  up  for  eternal  Glory,  and  fi- 
nally bring  them  thereunto  :  and  all  of  his  fovereignGood- 

nefs,  and  all  to  the  Praife  of  the  Glory  of  hjs  Grace. 

And  tov/ards  the  latter  End  of  that  Space  of  Time,in  which. 
this  World  was  to  be  reprieved,  it  was  his  Purpofe  more 
eminently  to  deflroy  Satan's  Kingdom  on  Earth  and  hisln- 
iiuence  among  Mankind,  and  m.ore  generally  recover  the 
guilty  Nations  from  his  Thraldom,  and  fet  up  his  own 
Kingdom  on  Earth,  to  flourifli  in  greatGlory  andProfperity 
a  Thoufand  Years.  Such  were  hisDefigns,  as  is  evident  by 
the  Event  of  Things,  and  from  the  Revelation  he  has  made 
in  his  Word  of  what  is  yet  to  come  to  pafs. 

(6.)  But  as  the  Cafe  then  fiocd^  it  was  not  fit  ^  that  any  of 
thefe  Fa^vcurs-  fljculd  he  granted  to  a  guilty  World  \  no^  not 
any  Things  that  had  fo  much  as  (all  nings  conjidered^)  the 
Nature  of  a  Mercy ^  without  fome  fufficient  Salvo  to  the  di^ 
vine  Honour,  *     Indeed  fome  Kind  of  Reprieve5l  prefume, 

X  might 

Ob  J.  But  if  God  could  not,  ccnfijlent  nvith  his  PerfeSl'cons,Jhenv  anyMercy  to 
a  guilty  World  'without  a  fufficient  Salvo  to  his  Honour  ;  hon»  could  he, 
confident  nvith  his  Perfe6lions,-pro<vide  them  a  Mediator  ?  Was  not  this  a 
great  Mercy  ?  Jind  ^hat  Salvo  had  he  for  his  Honour  in  doing  of  it  ? 

Ans.  .The  y^ry  doing  of  this  Thing  itfdf  was  to  fecure  his  own  Ho- 


nour. 


3o6  'True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

might  have  been  granted  to  a  guilty  World,  To  as  to  have 
fuffercd  the  human  Race  to  have  propagated,  and  the 
whole  defigned  Number  to  have  been  born  ;  a  Reprieve, 
all  Things  confidered,  not  of  the  Nature  of  a  Mercy.  So 
the  fallen  Angels  feem  to  be  under  fomeKind  of  a  Reprieve-, 
for  they  arereferved  in  Chains^  to  the  Judgment  of  the  great 
Day,  as  condemned  Prifoners.  2  Pet.  2.4.  And  hence,  a 
Number  of  them  once  cried  out,  Art  thou  come  to  torment 
us  before  thel'ime?  Matt.  8.  29.  Yet  we  are  not  taught  in 

Scripture  to  look  upon  this,  as  a  Mercy  to  them. But 

the  Scriptures  teach  us  toconfider  our  Reprieve,  our  worldly 
Comforts,  our  Means  of  Grace,  our  Space  for  Repentance, 
the  Reftraints  of  Providence  and  the  common  Influences  of 
the  Spirit,  as  Mercies-,  yea,  as  great  Mercies.  Rom.  2.  4. 

Ifai.  5.  4.  Bcut.  10.  18.  A^.  14.  17.  Rev.  2.  21. 

All  thefe  common  Favours  therefore,  as  well  as  fpccial  and 
faving  Mercies,  were  not  proper  to  be  granted  to  fuch  a 
guilty,  Hell-deferving  World,  by  a  holy,  fin-hating,  fin- 
revenging  God.  This  was  not  to  treat  Mankind,as  it  was 
fit  and  meet  they  fhould  be  treated.  It  was  contrary  to 
Law,  that  any  Favour  at  all  fhould  without  a  Salvo  to  the 
divine  Honour,  be  granted  them  -,  for  by  Lav/  they  were 
all  doomed  to  Dellrudion.  And  it  was  contrary  to  the 
divine  Nature,  to  do  anyThing  in  the  Cafe,that,  allThings 
confidered,  would  have,  in  the  leafl  Meafure,  a  favourable 
Afped:  towardsSin  -,  or  fo  much  as  in  the  leaft  tend  to  make 
him  feem  lefs  fevere  againft  it,  than  if  he  had  damned  the 
whole  World  for  their  Apoftacy  and  Rebellion. 

If 

nour.  This  was  the  very  End  he  had  nextly  in  View.  Were  it  not 
for  this  End,  a  Mediator  had  not  been  needful ;  but  a  guilty  World 
might  have  been  pardoned  by  an  A61  of  abfolute  fovereign  Grace. — 
Now  his  taking  fuch  a  glorious  Method  to  fecure  his  Honour,  and  the 
Honour  of  his  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority,  had  no 
Tendency  to  mifreprefent  them.  He  aded  in  it  juft  like  himfelf. 
His  infinite  Wifdom,  Holinefs,  Jullice  and  Goodnefs,  are  all  at  once 
i*ioft  perfedly  difplayed  in  this  Condu6l  o^  the  fupreme  Governour 
of  the  World.  Particularly,  his  infinite  Hatred  of  Sin  and  Difpofi- 
tion  to  puniih  it,  appeared  in  the  very  Aft  of  appointing  his  Son  to 
be  a  Sacrifice  for  the  Sins  of  the  World.  For  in  this  Aft,  it  was 
inanifeft,that  he  did  choofe,  his  ov/n  dearSon  {hould  himfelf  bear  the 
Punifhm?nt  of  Sin,  ra  her  than  let  it  go  cnpunifhcd- 


a7id  dtjlinguipo  edfrom  all  Counterfeits.   307 

If  God  had  fet  afide  his  Law,  which  was  the  Image  of 
his  Heart,  and  undertaken  and  fhewn  all  thefe  Favours  to 
a  guilty  World,  without  any  Salvo  to  his  Honour,  his  vifi- 
blc  Condud  would  have  been  diredly  contrary  to  the  invrard 
Temper  of  his  Fleart  •,  and  by  it,  he  would  have  counter- 
a6led  his  Nature,  and  mifrcprefented  himfelf,  dillionoured 
his  Law,  rendered  his  Authority  weak  and  contemptible, 
and  opened  a  wide  Door  for  the  Encouragement  of  Rebel- 
lion, throughout  all  his  Dominions  ;  and  in  Effed  gotten 
to  himfelf  the  Charatler  the  Devil  defigned  to  give  of  him 
to  our  firft  Parents,  when  he  faid,  Te  jhall  not  furely  die. 
Gen.  3.4.  i.  e.  "  God  is  not  fo  fevere  againft  Sin,  as  he 
"  pretends  to  be,  and  as  you  think  for,  nor  does  he  hate  it 
"  lb  much,  nor  v/ill  he  do  as  he  fays  in  the  Cafe."  It  was 
therefore  infinitely  impoillble. 

(7.)  %p  the  End  therefore^  that  a  Way  might  be  opened  for 
him  to  put  his  Defigns  cf  Mercy  in  Execution^  confiftent  with 
himfelf.,  confiflent  with  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs  &  Juftice, 
Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority.,  fomething  mufl 
be  done  by  him  in  a  publick  Manner .^  as  it  were  in  the  Sight  of 
all  Worlds.,  whereby  his  infinite  Hatred  of  Sin  and  unchangea- 
ble Refolution  to  punifh  it.,  might  be  as  effectually  manifefted 
as  if  he  had  damned  the  whole  World,  Merely  his  faying., 
that  he  infinitely  hates  Sin,  and  looks  upon  it  worthy  of  an 
infinite  Punifhment,would  not  have  manifefted  the  inward 
Temper  of  his  Heart  in  fuch  a  Meridian  Brightnefs,  as  if 
he  had  damned  the  whole  World  /;;  very  Deed.  But  rather, 
Kis  faying  one  Thing,  and  doiitg  another  directly  contrary, 
would  have  been  agoing  Counter  to  himfelf-,  efpecially, 
conlidering  him  as  a6ling  in  the  Capacity  of  a  Governour.,  to 
whom  by  Office  it  belongs  to  put  the  Law  in  Execution 
and  caufe  Juftice  to  take  Place.  For  him,  firft  to  make  a 
Law  threatning  eternal  Death  to  the  leaft  Sin,  makes  him 
appear  infinitely  juft  and  holy  •,  but  then  to  have  no  Re- 
gard to  that  Law  in  his  Condu61:,  but  go  right  contrary  to 
it,  without  any  Salvo  to  his  Honour,  is  quite  inconfiftent ; 
and  diredly  tends  to  bring  Himfelf,his  Law  andAuthority, 
into  the  greateft  Contempt.  Something,  I  fay,  therefore 
muft  be  DONE,to  make  his  Hatred  of  the  Sin  of  Mankind 
andDifpofition  to  puniih  it,  as  manifeft  as  if  he  had  damned 

X  2  the 


3o8         True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

the  whole  World  •,  to  the  End,  the  Honour  of  hisHoIinefs 
and  Juflice,  of  his  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Au- 
thority, might  be  effedlually  fecured.  To  act  contrary  to 
his  own  Nature,  was  impofTible  •,  to  hare  no  Regard  to 
the  Honour  of  his  Law  and  Government,was  unreafonable  ; 
a  guilty  World  had  better  all  have  been  damned. 

Thus  from  the  Perfe6lions  of  God,  and  from  the  Na- 
ture of  the  Thing,  we  fee  the  NecelTity  there  was,  that  Sa- 
tisfadtion  fliould  be  made  for  Sin,  in  order  to  open  an  ho- 
nourable Way  in  which  divincMercy  might  come  cut  after 
a  rebellious,  guilty,  Hell-deferving  World. 

To  conclude  this  Head,  The  Neceflity  of  Satisfaction 
for  Sin  feems  alfo  to  be  held  forth  in  the  Scriptures,  and  to 

be  implied  in  God's  Condu6l  in  this  Affair. In  the 

Old  Teflament,  the  NecefTity  of  an  Atonement  for  Sin 
was  taught  in  Types  and  Figures.  The  Man  that  finned 
was  to  bring  his  Offering  before  theLord,and  layhisHands 
upon  it,  and  confefs  his  Sin  over  it  •,  and  fo,  as  it  were, 
transfer  his  Sin  and  Guilt  to  it  ;  then  was  it  to  be  (lain 
{for  Death  is  the  IVages  of  Sin  )  and  burnt  upon  the  Altar, 
(for  the  Sinner  deferves  to  be  confumed  in  theFire  of  God's 
Wrath )  and  the  Blood  thereof  was  to  be  fprinkled  round 
about  ;  (for  imthout  fJoedding  of  Blood  there  is  no  Remifftcn) 
nor  was  there  any  other  Way  of  obtainingPardon  prefcrib- 
cd,  but  this,  which  naturally  taught  the  NecefTity  of  Satis- 
faction for  Sin,  and  led  the  pious  Jews  to  fome  generalNo- 
tion  of  the  great  Atonement  which  God  would  provide, 
and  to  a  cordial  Reliance  thereon  for  Acceptance   in  the 

Sight  of  God.  Lev.  4.  &  16.  Heh.  9. But  in  the  New 

Teflament,  the  Nature  and  NecefTity  of  Satisfaction  forSin, 
and  the  ImpofTibiiity  of  finding  Acceptance  withGod,unlefs 
thro'  the  Atonement  of  Chrift,  is  taught  in  Language  very 
plain  and  exprefs  :  particularly  in  the  third  Chapter  of  the 
Epiflle  to  the  Romans.  St.  Paul  having  proved  both  Jews 
and  Greeks  to  be  under  Sin,  and  all  the  World  to  he  guilty 
before  God,  and  that  every  Mouth  mufi  be  flopped,  in  xhtfirji 
and  fecond  Chapters  and  in  the  Beginning  of  the  t/m^d,  does, 
in  the  next  Place,  enter  upon,  and  begin  to  cxplain,theWay 
of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrifl  :  "  We  can- 
''  ftot,"  favshe,  "  be  juflified  bv  the  Deeds  of  the  Law  ; 

( Chap. 


anddijiinguijljed from  all  Coujiterfeits.  309 

"  (  Chap.  3.  20.  J  But  it  muft  be  freely  by  Grace  thro'  the 
"  Redemption  that  is  iaJefusChrift.  {^.24^..) — But  if  we  arc 
"  not  juftified  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law,  by  our  ownObe- 
"  dienee,how  will  God  our  Judge  appear  to  be  righteous  ? 
"  If  theLaw  condemns  us  and  yet  he  juftifics  us,  i.  c.  if  he 
*'  thus  proceeds  contrary  to  Law,  to  clear  and  approve, 
"  when  that  condemns  •,  how  will  he  appear  to  be  a  juft 
*'  and  upright  Governour  and  Judge,  who  loving  Righte- 
*'  Gufnefs  and  hating  Iniquity,  is  difpofed  always  to  render 
"  to  every  one  his  Due  ?  —  Why, —  there  is  a  Way  con- 
"  trived,  wherein  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God  is  manifefted 
*^  in  our  Juftification  without  the  Law's  being  obeyed  by 
*'  us,  a  Way  unto  which  the  Types  of  the  Law  and  Pre- 
"  didlions  of  the  Prophets  did  all  bear  Witnefs,  a  Way  in 
"  which  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God  is  manifefted  in  and  by 
"  Chrift :  {"  ;^.  2 1 ,  2  2 . )  —  But  how  ?  —  Why,  God  hath 
"  fet  kirn  forth  to  be  a  Propitiation^  to  declare  his  Right  eoiif- 
"  nefs  for  the  Remiffion  of  Sins  that  are  pafi^  thro"  the  For- 
'•  bearance  of  God  ;  to  declare,  1  f^y-,  (^-t  this  Time  his  Righ- 
''  teoufnefs  :  THAT  HE  MIGHT  BE  JUST,  and  the 
*'  Judifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jeftis."  The  Apoftle 
feems  evidently  to  fuppofe,  that  God  could  not  have  been 
jufl,  had  he  not  thus  declared  his  Righteoufnefs  ;  and  that 
he  adually  took  this  Method  to  declare  and  manifeft  his 
Righteoufnefs,  to  the  End  he  might  be  juft,  might  a6l  agreea- 
ble to  his  Nature,  the  original  Standard  of  Juftice,  and  to 
his  Law,  v/hich  is  the  Tranfcript  of  his  Nature,  and  the 
eftabiifhed  Rule  of  Righteoufnefs,  between  him  our  Go- 
vernour, and  us  his  Subjeds.  He  fet  forth  his  Son  to  be 
a  Propitiation,  for  the  Remijfion  of  Sin,  to  declare  his  Righte- 
oufnefs, that  he  might  be  juft,  and  the  Juftifier  ^c. 

Besides,  The  NecelTity  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin,  and  that 
even  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  feems  to  be  implied  in  our 
Saviour's  Prayer  in  the  Garden,  If  it  be  poffibk,  let  this  Cup 
pafs  from  me  :  neverthelefs,  ?iot  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt. 
Mat.  26.  39.  And  again,  iif.  42.  0  my  Fathi^,  if  this  Cup 
may  not  pafs  away  from  me,  except  I  drink  it,  thy  Will  be  done. 
As  if  Chrift  had  faid,  "  If  it  be  polTible  thy  Defigns  of 
"  Mercy  might  be  put  into  Execution,  and  poor  Sinners 
*'  faved,  conTiftent  with  thine  Houour,  without  my  drink- 

X  3  -  ins 


3 1  o       True  Religion  delineated        D  i  s .  II. 

'-  ing  this  Cup,  O  that  it  might  be  :  but  if  it  is  not  pofu- 
'"  bic  it  Ihouid  be  fo,  Iconfent.*'  Satisfadion  for  Sin  be- 
ing necelTary,  and  there  being  no  eafier  Way  in  which  Sa- 
tistaftion  for  Sin  might  be  made,  and  a  Door  opened  for 
Mercy  to  corneto  a  guilty  World  confiftent  with  the  divine 
Honour,  feems  to  have  been  the  very  Ground,  of  the  Fa- 
ther's v/illing  him,  and  of  Chrill's  confenting,  to  drink  that 
Cup.  And  indeed,  is  it  pofTible  to  conceive,  why  Chrill 
fliould  be  willing  to  fuffer  what  he  did,  or  why  his  Fathet 
fhould  defire  it,  were  it  not  an  Expedient  abfolutely  ne- 
ceiTary,  and  nothing  elfe  would  do,  fo  that,  it  mufl  be,  or 
not  one  of  the  Race  o^  Adam  be  ever  faved,  confident  with 
the  divine  Honour  ?  If  it  was  not  fo  abfolutely  necelfary, 
if  there  wjs  fume  cheaper  and  eafier  Way  that  would  have 
done,  why  did  the  Father  will  this  ?  or  how  had  Chriil  a 
fufFicient  Call  to  undertake  it  ?  or  indeed  what  Need  was 
there  for  hirn  to  undertake  ?  or  what  Good  would  it  do  ? 
If  Sin  was  not  in  very  Deed,  fo  bad  a  Thing,  that  it  could 
not  be  pardoned  without  fuch  a  Satisfaction,  why  was  fuch 
a  Satisfa6ton  infilled  upon  ?  Why  a  greater  Satisfaction 
than  was  needful  ?  Could  a  holy  and  wife  God  fet  fo  light 
by  the  Blood  of  his  dear  Son,  as  to  defire  it  to  be  Hied  with- 
out the  moft  urgent  NecelTity  ?  Or  why  fhould  the  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World  make  more  Adoe  than  needs,  and  then 
magnify  his  Lovx  in  giving  his  Son,  when  Mankind  might 
have  been  faved  without  it  ?  Did  this  become  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World  ?  Or  would  God  have  us  look 
upon  his  Condudl  in  fuch  a  Light  ?  Surely  no.  —  Verily 
therefore,  fuch  was  the  Cafe  of  a  rebellious  guilty  World, 
that  God  looked  upon  them  too  bad  to  be  releaied,  con- 
fiftent with  the  divine  Honour,  from  the  threatned  De- 
ftrudion,  unlefs  fuch  a  Mediator  fhould  interpofe,and  fuch 
a  Satisfadlon  for  Sin  be  made  •,  and  therefore  Chrift  ac- 
quiefced  in  his  Will,  as  being  wife,  holy,  juft  and  good. — 
And  this  being  fuppofed,  the  Love  of  God  in  giving  his 
Son  appears  e<ren  fwich  as  it  is  reprefented  to  be  •,  unparal- 
leled, unfpeakable,  inconceivable  :  fo  alfo  does  the  Love  of 
Chrift  in  undertaking. — And  thus  from  the  Perfe6cions  of 
God,  and  from  the  Scriptures,  and  from  God's  Conduct 
in  this  Affciir,  it  appears  that  a  i'uU  S-icisfa£tion  for  Sin  was 

ncceflary 


and  diJli?tgtnjloed from  allCoufiterfeits.  311 

necefiary,  in  order  to  it's  being  pardoned,  or  any  Favour 
fhewn  to  a  guilty  World,  confiftent  with  the  divine  ho- 
nour. 

And  if  we,  in  very  Deed,  did  ftand  in  fuch  Need,  fuch 
an  abfolute  perifhing  Need  of  a  Mediator,  as  this  comes  to  ; 
if  God  looked  upon  Things  in  fuch  a  Light  ;  then  mufb 
we  fee  this  our  Need  of  a  Mediator,  and  look  upon  Things 
in  this  Light  too,  and  have  a  Senfe  of  this  great  Truth 
upon  our  Hearts  :  for  otherwife  we  neither  truly  under- 
ftand  what  a  State  we  are  in,  nor  what  Need  we  have  of  a 
Mediator.  And  if  we  do  not  truly  underftand  what  a 
State  we  are  in,  nor  our  Need  of  the  Mediator  God  has 
provided,  how  can  we  be  in  a  Difpofition  to  receive  him 
as  he  is  offered  in  the  Gofpel,  and  truly  &  underflandingly 
to  rely  upon  him,  his  Death  and  Sufferings,  his  Worth 
and  Merits,  his  Mediation  and  InterceiTion,  as  the  Gofpel 
invites  us  to  do  ? 

To  fee  our  Need  of  Chrift  to  be  our  Atonement,  to  fee 
our  Need  of  his  propitiatory  Sacrifice  to  open  the  Way  for 
the  Governour  of  the  World  to  be  reconciled  to  us  confift- 
ently  with  his  Honcurjis  a  very  different  Thing  from  what 
many  imagine.  Some  fancy,  they  v/ant  Chrifl  to  purchafe 
an  Abatement  of  the  Law,  and  fatisfy  for  their  Imperfedi- 
ons  \  and  then  they  hope  to  procure  the  divine  Farour  by 
their  owrr  Goodnefs.  —  Some  truft  in  Chrift  and  the  free 
Grace  of  God  thro'  him,as  they  think,  and  yet  at  the  fame 
Time  look  upon  God  as  obliged  in  Juftice  to  fave  them,  if 
they  do  as  well  as  they  can.  Some,  who  lay  not  fo  high 
a  Claim  to  the  divine  Favour,  yet  by  their  Tears  &:  Prayers 
hope  to  move  the  CompafTions  of  God,  and  by  their  fair 
Promifes  to  engage  his  Favour,  and  would  fecretly  think 
it  hard,  if  after  all,  Godfhould  caft  them  off;  and  yet  they 
pretend  to  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift  and  to  truft  in  him. 
But  thefe  are  all  evidently  fo  far  from  feeing  their  Need  of 
Chrift,  that  in  the  Temper  and  Exercifes  of  their  Hearts, 
they  implicitly  and  practically  deny  any  Need  of  him  at  all ; 
to  their  own  Senfe,  they  are  good  enough  to  be  accepted  in 
the  Sight  of  God  upon  their  own  Account.  Rom.  10.  3. — 
Others,  who  have  had  great  Awakenings  and  Convidions,, 

X  4  and 


312        True  Religtoit  delineated       Dis.  11. 

fee  much  of  their  own  Badnefs,  and  do  in  a  Sort  renounce 
their  own  Righteoufnefs,  they  look  to  be  laved  by  free 
Grace  \  but  in  all  the  Exercifes  of  theirHcarts,  fee  noNeed 
of  a  Mediator,  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  him  :  They 
lee  no  Reafon  why  they  may  not  be  pitied  and  faved  by 
free  Grace,  without  any  Refped  to  the  Atonement  of  Chrift. 
They  don't  underftand  that  they  are  fo  bad,  that  it  would 
be  a  Reproach  to  the  Governour  of  the  World,  to  fhew 
them  Mercy  otherwife  than  thro'  a  Mediator.  —  Others 
again,  who  talk  much  of  Chrifb,  and  of  Faith,  and  of  living 
by  Faith,  and  cry  down  Works,  and  think  themfelvcs  moil 
evangelical  •,  yet  after  all,  only  believe  thatCbrift  died  for  them 
in  particular^  and  that  they  jh all  he  faved  :  this  is  their  Faith^ 
and  this  their  trufiing  in  Chrift  •,  whereby  it  is  evident,they 
never  tj-uly  faw  tiieirNeed  of  Chrif[:,nor  have  they  any  Re- 
fpe6t  to  him  under  the  proper  Chara6lcr  of  a  Mediator. 
But  then  do  Perfons  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift,  when 
from  a  Senfe  of  what  they  be,  and  of  what  God  is,  they  are 
convinced,  that  they  are  too  bad  to  be  pardoned  and  ac- 
cepted, fo  bad  that  any  Thing  fliort  of  Damnation  is  too 
good  for  them  ;  fo  that  it  would  be  inconfiftent  with  the 
divine  Perfeclions  and  to  the  Reproach  of  the  great  Gover- 
nour of  the  World,  to  iliew  them  anyFavour,  without  fome 
fufficicnt  Salvo  to  his  Honour.  Now  they  fee  their  Need 
of  Chrift  and  are  prepared  to  exercife  Faith  in  his  Blood  {to 
ufe  the  Apoftle's  Phrafe,  Rom.  3.  23.  J  and  not  'till  now. 
For  Men  can't  be  laid  to  fee  their  Need  of  Chrift  and  his 
Atonement,  unlefs  they  fee  that  in  their  Cafe,  which  ren- 
ders his  Atonement  needful-.,  but  it's  being  inconfiftent  with 
the  divine  Perfe6tions,  and  to  the  Difhonour  of  God,  to 
pardon  Sin  without  Satisfa61:ion,  was  that  which  made  an 
Atouemeat  needful :  Therefore  Sinners  muft  fee  their  Cafe 
to  be  fuch  as  that  it  would  be  inconfiftent  with  the  divine 
Pcri'ertioas  and  to  theDifiionour  of  God,to  grant  themPar- 
don  without  Satisfaction  for  their  Sins ;  in  order  to  fee  their 
N  cfid  of  Chrift  and  of  his  Atonement.  When  they  fee  their 
Cell' :  to  be  fuch,  then  they  begin  to  fee  Things  as  they  are, 
to  View  tliem  in  the  fame  Light  that  God  does,  to  perceive 
/to^ii'triiat  Grounds  and  for  what  Pxafons  a  Mediator  was 

necelfary, 


and  dijlinguiped from  all  Counterfeits.   313 

necelTary,  and  why  and  upon  what  Accounts  they  want 
one  ;  and  hereby  a  Foundation  is  laid  for  them  underftand- 
ingly  to  have  a  fiducial  Recourfe  to  that  Mediator  which 
God  has  provided,  that  thro'  him,  confiilently  with  the  di- 
vine Perledions,  they  may  be  received  to  Favour.  And  fo 
from  Chrift  the  Mediator,  and  from  the  free  Grace  of  God 
thro'  him,  do  they  take  all  their  Encouragement  to  come 
to  God  in  hopes  of  Pardon  &  Acceptance  and  eternal  Life. 
And  thus  they  look  to  bejuftified  by  free  Grace  thro'  the  Re- 
demption  that  is  in  Jefus  Chriff,  which  is  what  the  Gofpel 
intends  and  propofes.  Rom.^.  24.  Andfroman  increafing 
Senfe  of  their  Unworthinefs  and  ill  Deferts,  they,  thro'the 
Courfe  of  their  Lives,  more  and  more,  grow  up  into  a 
Difpofition  to  live  the  Life  they  live  in  the  Flejh  by  Faith  in 
the  Son  of  God,  always  having  Refped  to  him  as  ^i\dr  great 
high  Priefi,  in  all  their  Approaches  to  the  Mercy-Seat,  hav- 
ing Accefs  to  God  by  hi}}:^  who  has  ftilcd  himlclt  tl-i^.  Door 
of  the  Sheep,  and  the  V/ay  to  the  Father^  which  is  the  Ytvj 
Thing  theGofpei  propofes,  &  invites  &  encourages  us  unto. 
Heb.9. 11.  By  bis  owiiBlcod  iue  entred  into  the  holy P lace ^haviftg 
obtained  eternal  Redemption  for  us.  Ver.  24.  Into  Heaven  it 
felf.  to  appear  in  the  Pre  fence  of  God  fonts.  Heb.  10. 19— > 
22.  Having  therefore.  Brethren,  holdnefs  to  enter  into  the  ho- 
Heft  by  the  Blood  of  Jefus,  by  a  ne^jo  and  living  Way  which  he. 
hath  co:ifecrated  for  us  \ — and  having  an  high  Prieft  over  the 
Houfe  of  God  :  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  Heart,  in  full 
Affurance  of  Faith.  Rom.  3.  25.  For  him  hath  God fet  forth 
to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin,  to  declare  his  Right eoufnefsy  that 
he  might  be  juft,  ^c. 

And  a  clear  reaUfing  Senfe  of  thefe  Things  on  ourHearts, 
will  lay  a  Foundation  for  us  to  fee,  how  the  Gofpel-Way 
of  Salvation  is  calculated  to  bring  much  Glory  to  God, 
and  abafe  Sinners  in  the  very  Dull,  which  is  that  wherein 
the  Glory  of  the  Gofpel  very  much  confifts.  Rom.  3.  27. 
Eph.  I.  3 — 12.  And  we  fhall  learn  to  rejoyce  to  fee  God 
alone  exalted,  and  freely  to  take  our  proper  Place,  and  lie 
down  in  the  Dull,  abafed  before  the  Lord  for  ever.  And 
indeed  it  is  perfe6lly  fit  in  this  Cafe,  that  the  Rebel-Wretch 
fliould  come  down,  and  be  fo  far  from  finding  Fault  with 

the 


314        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  11. 

the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  and  with  his  holy,  jufl 
and  good  Law,  that  he  fl:iould  rejoyce  that  God  has  taken 
fuch  anefiedtual  Method  to  lecure  his  own  Honour,and  the 
Honour  of  his  Law.     We  ought  to  be  ghd  with   all  our 
Hearts,  tliat  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  did  put 
on  State,  and  fland  ibr  his  Honour,  and  the  Honour  of  his 
Law,  without  the  leaft  Abatement ;  and   did  infill  upon 
it,  that  Sin  fliould  be  puniflied,  the  Sinner  humbled,    and 
Grace  glorified  :  thefe  were  Things  of  the  greateft  Impor- 
tance.    And  WT  ought  to  choofe  to  be  faved  in  fuch  a  Way, 
to  have  God  honoured,  and  our  felves  humbled.     And  it 
is  evident,  this  mull  be  the  Temper   of  every   one  that 
comes  into  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel.     Thus 
much  concerning  the  NecefFity  of  Satisfaction  for  Sin. 
But  here  now  fome  may  be  ready  to  inquire. 
Was  it  not  as  necejary^  that  the  Precepts  of  the  Lawfiouhl 
he  cbeyed.,  as  that  the  Penalty  ficuld  he  fiiffered ;  to  make  Way 
for  the  dinner  not  only  to  he  -pardoned^    hut  alfo  to  he  received 
to  a  State  of  Favour  and  in  titled  to  eternal  Life  ? 
To  which  I  anfwcr, 
I .  It  is  true,   we  need  not  only  a  Pardon  from  theHands 
of  God  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the   World,  in   whofe 
Sight,  and  againil  v/hom  we  have  finned  •,  we  need,  I  fay, 
not  only  to  be  pardoned,   delivered   from  Condemnation, 
freed  from  the  Curfe  of  the  Law,  faved  from  Hell  ;  but 
we  want  fomething  further  :    We  want  to  be  renewed  to 
God's  Image,  taken  into  his  Family,  put  among  his  Chil- 
drcpi  and  made  Partakers  of  his  everlafling  Favour  and 
I^ove.  We  need  not  only  to  be  delivered  from  all  t\\o{tEvils^ 
which  are  come  upon  us  and  which  we  are  expofed  unto, 
thro'  our  Apoflacy  from  God  -,  but  we  want  to  be  reftored 
to  the  Enjoyment  of  all  that  Goody  which  we  fhould  have 
had,  had  we  kept  the  Covenant  of  our  God. 

2.  It  is  true  alfo,  that  Mankind,according  to  theTenour 
of  the  firft  Covenant,  were  not  to  have  been  confirmed  in 
a  State  of  Holinefs  and  Plappinefs,  were  not  to  have  had 
eternal  Life,  merely  upon  the  Condition  of  being  innocent, 
(for  fuch  was  Adam  by  Creation)  but  perfect  Obedience  u> 
every  Precept  of  the  divine  Law  was  required.  Rom.  10.5. 
(7W.  3.  10.  The  Performance  of  fuch  an  Obedience,  was 

that 


and  dijiinguipjed from  all  Counterfeits.  315 

that  Right eoufnefs^  which  was  by  Covenant  to  intitle  him 
to  Life. 

3.  Since  the  Fall,  all  Mankind,are  deftitutc  of  thatRigh- 
teoufnefs^  nor  can  they  attain  unto  it.  Rom.  3.  9 20. 

4.  But  our  natural  Obligations,  to  love  God  with  all  our 
Hearts  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing,  flill  remain.  For 
they  are  in  their  own  Nature  unalterable.  They  will  be 
for  ever  the  fame,  fo  long  as  God  remains  what  he  is  and 
we  are  his  Creatures.  There  was  the  fame  Reafon,  there- 
fore, after  the  Fall,  why  we  Ihould  love  and  obey  God,  as 
ever  there  was.  There  was  the  fame  Reafon,  therefore, 
that  the  Condition  of  the  firft  Covenant,  fhould  be  fulfilled, 
as  ever  there  was.  It  was  reafonable,  originally,  or  God 
would  never  have  infilled  upon  it.  And  therefore  it  is 
reafonable  now  fince  our  Apoftacy  ;  and  God  has  the  fame 
Grounds  to  infill  upon  it  as  ever  :  but  we  cannot  perform 
it  our  feives  :  it  was  neceflary,  therefore,  that  it  Ihould  be 
performed  by  Chrift  our  Surety. 

But  perhaps  fome  may  flill  fay. 

When  Chrift  had  fully  ftatisff  d for  all  our  Sins.,  and  fo  opened ' 
a  Way  for  Believers  to  he  confJxred  as  entirely  free  from  any 
Guilt  \  why  might  not  the  Governour  cf  the  World.,  now.,  of 
his  fovereign  Goodnefs  and  Bounty.,  have  b  eft  owed  eternal  Life^ 
without  any  more  to  do  ?  What  Need  was  there  for  Chrift'  to 
fulfil  all  Righteoufnefs  in  our  Room  ? 
To  which  1  anfwer. 

When  Admn  was  newly  created,  he  was  innocent,  free 
from  any  Guilt ;  and  why  might  not  the  fupreme  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World,  now,  without  any  more  to  do,  have 
beflowed  upon  him  eternal  Life  and  BleiTednefs,  of  his 
mere  fovereign  Goodnefs  ?  What  need  was  there,  that  his 
everlailing  Welfare  fhould  be  entirely  fufpended  upon  the 
uncertain  Condition  of  his  good  Behaviour  ?  Had  not 
God  jufl  feen  how-  it  turned  out  with  the  Angels  that  fin- 
ned ?  Did  he  not  know  that  Adam  was  liable  to  Sin  and 
undoe  himfelf  too  ?  And  why  would  he  run  any  venture 
a  fecond  Time  ?  Efpecially,  fince  the  Happinefs,  not  only 
oiAdam.,  but  of  all  his  Race,  a  whole  World  of  Beings, now 
lay  at  Stake  ?  If  he  thinks,  that  if  but  one  Man  fhould 
gain  the  whole  World,  and  iofe  his  own  Soul,  his  Lofs 

would 


3i6       True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

would  be  infinitely  great ;  what  mufl  the  everlafling  Wel- 
fare of  a  whole  Race  be  worth  in  his  Account  ?  And  would 
infinite  Wifdom  and  infinite  Goodnefs  venture  and  hazard 
all  this  needlejly  ?  Yea,  would  fuch  a  Being  have  done  fo, 
had  there  not  been  Reafons,  of  infinite  Weighty  to  move 
him  to  it  ?  fomething  of  greater  Importance,  than  the  eter- 
nal Welfare  of  all   Mankind  ? No  doubt,  there  was 

fomething,  and  fomething  of  very  great  Importance,  that 
influenced  the  infinitely  wife  and  good  Governour  of  the 
"^.Vorld  to  fuch  a  Condu6l.  Something,  fo  very  greats  as  to 
render  his  Conduct  in  that  Affair,  perfedlly  holy  and  wife, 

perfedly  beautiful,  excellent  and  glorious. It  does  not 

look  like  a  mere  arbitrary  Conftitution.  It  was  doubtlefs 
ordered  fo,  becaufe  God  fiw,  it  was  perfectly  fit  and  right 

and  befw. But  why  was  it  fit  and  right  and  beft  ? 

Whatever  the  Reafon  v/as,  doubtlefs  for  the  fame  Reafon, 
it  was  fit  and  right  and  bell,  that  the  fecojid  Adam  fhould 
perform  the  fame  Condition,  fulfil  all  Righteoufnefs,  to 
th^  End  that  by  his  Obedience  we  might  be  made  righte- 
ous, and  fo  be  intitled  to  Life  in  this  Way. 

It  is  certain,  that  eternal  Life  and  Bleffednefs  v/ere  not  to 
have  been  given  abfoluteh\  i.  e.  without  any  Condition  at 
all,  under  the  fird  Covenant.  Eternal  Life  was  not  to 
have  been  granted  merely  under  the  Notion  of  a  G///,  from 
^fovereign  Benefa5ior  \  but  alfo  under  the  Notion  of  a  Re- 
wardj  from  the  Hands  of  the  moral  Governour  of  the  World. 
PerfedtObedience  was  theCondition.  Bo  and  live.Kom.io.^, 
Difobey  and  die.  Gal.  3.  10.  This  was  eftabhflied  by  the 
Law  of  the  God  of  Heaven. 

Now,  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  did  this  for 
fome  End,  or  for  no  End.  Not  for  no  End,  for  that  would 
refiedl  upon  his  Wifdom.  Was  it  for  his  own  Good,  or  his 
Creature's  Good  ?  Not  for  his  oxm  Good  •,  for  he  is  Self- 
fufficient  and  Independent.  Not  for  his  Creature's  Good  ; 
for  it  had  been  better  for  them,  their  Interefl  fimply  con- 
fidered,  to  have  had  eternal  Life  and  Bleflednefs  given  ab- 
folutely  and  unconditionally ;  for  then,  they  would  have 
been  at  no  Uncertainties,  not  liable  to  fall  into  Sin  or  Mife- 

ry,  but  fecure  and  fafe  forever. It  remains,  therefore, 

thut^  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World,  he  had  an  Eye  to 

the 


and  diftinguijhed fro7n  all  Counterfeits.  317 

the  moral  Fitnefs  of  Things,  and  fo  ordained,  becaufe  in 
it  felf,  in  it's  own  Nature,  it  was  fit  and  right. 

But  why  was  it  fit  and  right  ?  i.  e.  What  Grounds  and 
Reafons  were  there  in  the  Nature  of  the  Cafe,  why  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World  fliould  fufpend  the  everlaft- 
ing  Welfare  of  his  Creature,  Man,  upon  Condition  of  his 

being  in  mod  periedl  Subjedlion  to  himfelf  ? i.e.  Why 

fhould  he  fo  much  (land  upon  his  own  Honour,  as  to  infift: 
upon  thisHomage,at  the  hazard  of  hisCreature's  everlafting 
Welfare. —  /.  e.  Why  did  he  look  upon  his  own  Honour  as 

a  Matter  of  fo  great  Importance  ? 1  anfwer,  that,  from 

the  Rectitude  of  the  divine  Nature,  he  is  perfedly  impar- 
tial in  all  his  Condud. It  was  not,  therefore,  from  any 

Thing  like  Pride,  or  a  feltifh  Spirit,  that  he  flood  thus  upon 
his  Honour  -,  the  Homage  of  a  Worm  of  the  Duft  could 
do  him  no  Good  :  nor  for  want  of  Goodnefs,  that  he  fet  fo 
light  by  his  Creature's  Happinefs  :  but  it  was  fit  he  fhould 
do  as  he  did  •,  tlie  Reditude  of  his  Nature,  as  it  were,  ob- 
liged him  to  it.  For  it  becomes  the  Governour  of  the 
World,  and  it  belongs  to  his  Office  as  fuch,  to  fee  to  it, 
that  every  one  has  his  proper  Due  •,  and  therefore  it  con- 
cerns him,  firfl  and  above  all  Things,  to  afTert  and  main- 
tain the  Rights  of  the  GOD-HEAD  :  and  this  Honour 
was  due  to  God. 

He  was  by  Nature  God,  and  Adam  was  by  Nature  Man  ; 
he  was  the  Creator,  and  Adam  was  his  Creature  ;  he  was 
moral  Governour  of  the  World,  and  Adam  was  his  Sub- 
jedl  :  He  was  by  Right  Law-giver,  and  Adam  was  a  free 
Agent  capable  of  and  obliged  unto  perfed  Obedience  : 
He  was  Judge,to  whom  it  belonged  to  diilribute  Rewards 
and  Punifhments,  and  Adam  was  an  accountable  Creature. 
Now  he  only  confidered  himfelf  as  being  what  he  was,  and 
his  Creature  Man  as  being  what  he  was  \  and  he  was  affe6l- 
ed  and  adled  accordingly.  He  confidered  what  Honour 
was  due  to  him  from  Man  ;  what  Obligations  Man  was 
under  to  give  him  his  Due  •,  that  he  was  capable  of  doing 
it  voluntarily  ;  that  it  was  fit  he  fhould  ;  that  it  became 
the  Governour  of  the  World  to  infift  upon  it  ;  that  if  he 
did  not  do  it  with  all  his  Heart,  he  could  not  be  confidered 
as  a  Subjed  fit  for  the  divine  Favour,  but  fit  only  for  di- 
vine 


31 8        True  Religion  delbteated       Dis.  II. 

vine  Wrath.  He  thus  viewed  Things  as  they  were,  and 
a6led  accordingly.  What  he  did  therefore  was  perfedlly 
right  and  lit.  To  have  had  no  Regard  to  his  Honour, but 
only  to  have  confulted  his  Creature's  Welfare,  would  have 
been  a  Conduct  like  theirs  in  R.om.  1.21,25.  They  glorified 
him  not  as  Gcd. — They  "jocrfuippcd  and  ferved  the  Creature 
more  than  the  Creator.  * 

Now,  fince  the  feccnd  Adam  becomes  Surety  and  ftands 
refponfible  to  the  Governcur  of  the  World,  it  was  fit  he 
Ihould  net  only  fuffer  the  Penalty  of  the  broken  Law,  but 
obey  it's  Precepts  too,  in  order  to  open  a  Door  for  us  not 
only  to  be  pardoned,  but  alfo  received  to  Favour  and  intit- 
led  to  eternal  Life.  There  was  the  fame  Reafon,  the  fecond 
Adam  fliould  do  it,  as  that  xhtfirft  Ihould.  The  Honour  of 
God  did  as  much  require  it.  It  \vas  as  needful  in  order  to 
our  being  confidered  as  Subjects  fit  for  the  divine  Favour 
and  eternal  Life.  It  became  the  Governcur  of  the  World 
as  much  to  (land  for  his  Honour,  with  one,  as  with  the 
other  ;  and  he  had  as  good  Reafon  to  fufpend  the  everlafl:- 
ing  Welflire  of  Mankind  upon  this  Condition,  now,as  ever. 
And  to  have  fhcwn  no  Concern  for  the  divine  Honour, 
altho'God  had  been  openly  affronted  and  defpifed  byMan's 
Apoftacy,   but  only  to  have  regarded  and  confulted  the 

Wei- 

*  HowGod's  putting  /Jam  into  a  State  oiTrtal,  was  confiftent  with  his 
aiming  merely  at  his  Happinefs  as  his  laji  ErJ,  I  cannot  underftand. 
Sure  1  am,  ic  muft  have  been  better,  unfpeakably  better  for  ^.-/^Wjhis 
Interefl  only  confidered,  to  have  been  immediately  ccnfrmcd  \r\  aState 
of  perfe<!lHojinefs  &  Happinefs,without  running  fuch  an  awfulVenture 
of  eternal  Ruin  and  Deftru6tion.  Nor  is  there  anyMan  on  Earth,  that 
would  choofe,  merely  out  of  Kegard  to  his  own  Welfare,  to  be  put 
into  a  State  of  Trial,  rather  than  into  a  State  of  confirmed  Holinefs 
and  Happinefs,  fuch  as  the  Saints  in  Heaven  are  now  in.  And  there- 
fore I  can't  but  think,  that  God  had  a  greater  Regard  to  fomcthing 
clfe,  than  to  Ada?ns  Happinefs,  In  this  Inftance,  it  feems  plain 
from  Fcia,  that  God  does  not  make  his  Creature's  Happinefs,  his  laft, 
End.  It  is  in  vain  to  plead,  "  That  Ada7n  could  not  be  a  moral  Agents 
'*  unlefs  he  was  a  free  Agent,  nor  2.  free  Agent  without  being  liable 
**  to  Sin." — For  the  Saints  in  Heaven  are  ?noro I  Agents  Sc  free  Agents 
too,andyet  are  not  liable  to  Sin.—  And  if  God's  putting  hisCreatures 
into  a  State  of  Trial,  is  not  confiftcnt  with  his  aiming  merely  at  their 
Happinefs  as  his  laft  End,then  the  wholeTenor  of  God's  moralGovem- 
ment  is  not  confiftent  therewith  :  for,  from  hrit  to  laft,  it  has  been  his 
Way  to  put  his  Creatures  into  a  State  of  Trial ;  even  all  his  Crea- 
tures who  were  capable  of  moral  Govermnent. 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   319 

Welfare  of  the  Rebel  under  righteous  Condemnation,  had 
been  a  Condud  evidently  unbecoming  the  greatGovernour 
of  the  World. 

But  again,   we  may  view  the  Cafe  in  another  Point  of 

Lig-hc. According;  to  the  firit  Covenant,  eternal  Life 

andBlelTednefs  were  not  to  have  been  granted  merely  under 
the  Notion  of  a  Gift^  from  a  fovereign  Benefactor  ;  but  aifo 
under  the  Notion  of  a  Re-ward^  from  God  as  moral  Gover- 
nour  of  the  World  :  and  perfed:  Obedience  was  the  Condi- 
tion.    Bo  and  live, And  while  eternal  Life  and  Blef- 

fednefs  were  thus  promifed,  by  Way  of  Reward  to  Virtue^ 
God's  infinite  Love  thereto  was  hereby  teftified  ;  and  the 

Temper  of  his  Heart  acted  out   and  difplayed. But 

God  infinitely  loves  to  ad:  like  himfelf —  On  this  Confi- 
deration,  therefore,  it  was  neceiTary,  that  the  fecond  Admit 
fnould  fulfil  all  Righteoufnefs,  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty,un- 
holy  World  •,  to  the  End,  that  the  Governour  of  theWorld 
might  beflow  Grace  and  Glory  and  all  good  Things  upon 
Sinners,  as  a  Rezvard  to  Chrift's  Virtue  •,  and  fo   hereby 

teftify  his  infinite  Love  to  Virtue. And  fo  ftill  a5i  like 

himfelf. It  was  God's  fovereignPleafure  to  exercifc  his 

infiniteGoodneis  towards  a  ruin'dRace,  and  his  ^(?^Naturc 
prompted  him  to  choofe  this  Way  j  for  he  always  takes  in^ 
finite  Delight  in  Ihewing  Regard  and  RefpedltoF/'rZ/i'ij,  ia 
his  moral  Government  of  the  World.  He  tranflatedE?/^^^ 
and  Elijah^  favcd  Noah  from  the  general  Deluge,  delivered 
Lot  out  of  Sodom,,  promifed  Abraham  a  Pofterity  numerous 
as  the  Stars  of  Heaven,  and  Phineas  an  everl ailing  Prieft- 
hood,  and  a  Thoufand  Things  more  has  he  done  5  and  all, 
to  bear  2i  puhlick  'Tefiiraony  of  his  Love  to  Virtue.     This  is 

the  Thing  zvhich  the  King  delights  to  Honour. The  very 

Ground  of  his  Love  to  himfelf,  is  the  Virtue  or  Holinefs  of 
his  Nature.  In  this,  his  divine  Beauty  and  Glory  primarily 
confiils.  Ifai.  6.3.  He  loves, therefore,  to  put  Flonourupon 
the  Lnage  of  himfelf.  And  in  doing  fo,  he  ftill  rcfleftsHo- 
nour  upon  himfelf,  the  original  Fountain  of  moral  ExceUe?i- 
cy.  And,  therefore,  according  to  the  firfh  Covenant  and 
according  to  tht  fecond,,  it  was  equally  fit,  that  eternal  Life 
and  Blellednefs  Ihould  be  given  as  a  Rezvard  to  Virtue,  in 
Teitimony  of  his  Regard  thereto. 

Thus, 


320       iTriie  Religion  deliiieatid       Dis.  II. 

Thus,  from  the  Perfeftions  of  God,  and  the  Reafon  and 
Nature  of  Things,  the  Ncceffity  of  Chhft's  obeying  the 
preceptive  Part  of  the  Law,  as  well  as  fuffering  the  Pe- 
nalty, in  order  to  our  being  not  only  pardoned,  but  receiv- 
ed to  the  everlafting  Favour  of  God  and  intitied  to  eternal 
Life,  feems  evident. 

But  from  Scripture^  the  Point  may  more  eafily  be  con- 
firmed. For  therein  we  are  taught,  that  he  was  appointed 
by  the  Governour  of  the  World,  not  only  to  make  Reconci- 
liation for  Iniquity jhut  alfo  to  bring  in  everlailing  Righteouf- 
nefs.  Dan. 9. 24.  And  are  affured,  that  he  is  become  theEnd 
cf  the  Law  for  Righteoufnefs  to  them  that  believe.  Rom  10,4. 
And  that  by  his  Obedience  many  are  made  Righteous.  Rom. 
5.  19.  But  this  Work  would  not  have  been  put  upon  him., 
had  it  been  needlefs ;  /.  e.  if  God's  Honour  and  our  Salva- 
tion, could,  both,  have  been  fecured  without  it  :  for  then 
it  had  been  in  vain  :  Which  to  fuppofe,  refiedls  much  up- 
on the  divine  Wifdom,  and  quite  undermines  and  nullifies 
the  Love  and  Grace  and  Kindnefs  of  God  herein  to  us  :  for 

we  had  been  as  well  without  it. With  much  Evidence, 

therefore,  may  we  conclude,  that  it  was  neceflary,  that  the 
fecond  Adam.,  thrift  our  Surety,  fhould  obey^zs  wtII  as  fufFer 
in  our  Room  ;  in  order  to  open  a  Door  for  our  Juftification 
and  eternal  L.ife. —  And  accordingly  we  may  obferve,  that 
the  Favours  fliewn  to  a  finful,  guilty  World  on  Chrifl's 
Account,  are  in  Scripture  promifed  under  the  Notion  of  a 
Reward  to  Chrifl's  Virtue.  For  upon  making  his  Soul  an 
Offering  for  Sin,-\v\{\z\i  was  the  highefl  A£t  of  Virtue^  it  was 
promifed  thzt  he  fhould  fee  his  Sec  d^  prolong  hisDays.,  have  the 
Pleafiire  of  the  Lord  profpering  in  his  HaJids  ;  and  that  he 
fnouldy^^  the  Travel  of  his  Soul,  znd  jujlify  many.  Ifai.  c^i. 
10,  II,  12. 

Therefore,  in  order  to  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the 
Gofpel  by  Faith  in  Jefus  Chrifl,  we  mufl  fee  how  far  we  be 
from  Right  ecu fyiefs  •,  that  all  our  feemingRighteoufnefs  is  as 
filthyRagSj  that  we  have  nothing  to  recommend  us  toGod  5 
that  there  is  nothing  in  us  rendring  of  us//  to  be  beloved 
by  him,  or  meet  to  receive  any  Favour  at  his  Hands,  bur 
every  Thing  to  the  contrary  •,  to  the  End,  we  may  fee  our 
Need  of  Chrifl :  of  Chrifl,  to  he  made  of  God  unto  us.,  Righ- 
teoufnefs, 


and  dijUnguifned frofn  all  Counterfeits,  321 

tcoufnefs^  (i  Cor.  1.30  J  and  ourNecelTity  of  being /<?//«// /';/ 

k     //;;;/,  having  on  his  Right eoufnefs.  (  Phil.  'i.  ^.  )  For  this  is 

\  the  Dciign  of  the  Gofpel,  to  bring  us  to  look  to  he  accepted 

\  with  God  only  in  his  Beloved  •,  (  Eph.  1.6.   1  Pet.  2.  5.  ) 

Vind  to  h^juftified  freely  by  hisGracc^  thro^  the  Redemption  that 

is  in  J  ejus  Chrift  ;  (Rom.  3.  24.  )  without  the  Deeds  of  the 

Law  \  (y^  28.)  our  lelves  being  confidered,  as  being  in  our 

felves,  UNG0DL2\  (  Chap.  4.  ;^.  5.  ) 

And  under  a  Senfe,  how  far  we  be  from  Righteoufnefs  ; 
that  we  have,after  all  the  Attainments  of  this  Life,  noRigh- 
teoufnefs  fit  to  be  mentioned  before  God,  nothing  fit  to  re- 
commend us  to  hisFavour,but  are  Hill  in  our  felves  infinitely 
unworthy  of  h.'s  Love,  or  the  leaft  Favour  from  him  j  I 
fay,  under  a  deep  effedtual  Scnfe  of  this,we  mull  live  all  our 
Days  •,  to  the  End,  we  may  never  venture  to  come  before 
God,  as  the  Pharifee  did,emboldened  by  our  ownGoodnefs, 
but  always  as  the  chief  of  Sinners,  defiring  to  ht found  only 
in  Chrijlj  net  having  on  cur  own  Righteoufnefs^  hut  the  Righ- 
teoufnefs which  is  of  God  hy  Faith  -,  and  fo  hereby  be  influ- 
enced to  live  the  Life  we  live  in  the  Flefh^  hy  Faith  on  theSon 
of  God ^  asSt.  Paul  always  did,  and  as  the  Gofpel  would  have 
all  others  do  too.  i  'Tim.  i.  ic^.  Phil.  3.  9.  GaL  2.  20.  and 
3.  II. 

To  conclude.  Thus,  we  fee  the  Grounds  of  the  Necef- 
fity  there  was,  for  a  Mediator  and  Redeemer,  to  make  Sa  • 
tisfadion  for  Sin,  and  bring  in  everlafting  Righteoufnefs  ; 
and  fo  open  an  honourable^ 2,^^  forMercy  to  come  out  after 
a  rebellious,  guilty  World  -,  and  a  Way,  in  which  Sinners 
may  with  Safety  return  to  God. 

Section     IV. 

Concerning  />^^  Sufficiency  of  Chrift^  and 
of  his  SatisfaSiion  and  Merits. 

I  proceed  now  to  confider, 

2.  What  has  been  done  to  make  Satisfa^ion  for  Sin^  and. to 
ctnfwer  the  Demands  of  the  preceptive  Part  of  the  Law  \  and. 
wherein  the  Sufficiency  of  the  fame  conjlfts^         And 

Y  la 


322  T^rue  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

In  the  Fir  ft  Place,  what  has  been  done^  has  been  already 
hinted  ;  and  it  may  be  fummed  up  in  a  few  Words.  It 
comprehends  all  that  Chrift  has  done  and  fiiffered^  in  his 
Life  and  at  hisD^^^^.  For  us  he  was  born  •,  for  us  he  lived; 
for  us  he  died  :  He  did  all  on  our  Accomit^  being  thereunto 
appointed  by  his  Father.  But  becaufe  his  Obedience  and 
Sufferings  were  moil  eminent  and  remarkable,  when,  ac- 
cording to  the  Command  he  had  received  of  his  Father, 
he  laid  down  his  Life  for  us  and  offered  himfelf  a  Sacrifice 
for  our  Sins  ;  and  becaufe  with  a  View  to  this,  he  became 
FlejJo^and  dwelt  among  iis\  therefore,  theScriptures  do  more 
frequently  attribute  ourRedemption  to  what  was  done  then. 
Hence, we  are  faid  to  be  redeemed  by  hisBlood.  i  Pet.  1.18,19. 
To  be  juftified  by  his  Blood,  Rom.  ^.  ^.  And  all  fpiritual 
BlefTings  are  frequently  reprefented  as  theFruits  andEffeds 
of  his  Death,  G?i\.  3.  13,  14.  The  Sacrifices  of  the  Old 
Teftamcnt  pointed  out  this^  as  the  great  Atonement.  And 
to  this  the  Penmen  of  the  New  Teftament  feem  in  a  fpecial 
Manner  to  have  their  Eyes,  as  the  great  Propitiation  for 
Sin. —  Thus  the  firft  Adam  was  to  have  yielded  a  perfedl 
Obedience  to  the  divine  Law  in  every  Thing  •,  but  that 
fpecial  Prohibition,  touching  the  Tree  of  Knowledge  of 
Good  and  Evil,  was  in  a  peculiar  Manner  to  try  him,  that 
it  might  be  feen  whether  he  would  be  in  Subjedlion  toGod 
in  every  Thing.  So  in  the  Garden  and  upon  the  Crofs,our 
Saviour's  Spirit  of  Obedience  was  tried  and  difcovered,and 
his  Obedience  was  perfected  and  his  Sufferings  compleated: 
and  fo  here,  in  a  more  eminent  Manner,  the  Law  was  ho- 
noured and  Juftice  fatisfied  •,  and  fo  the  Door  of  Mercy 
opened  for  a  finful,  guilty  World.  But 

Secondly,     As  to  the  Sufficiency  of  what  has  been  done,  to 
anfwer  theEnds  propofed  ;  Let  thefe  Things  be  confidered, 

Ci.)  That  the  Perfon undertaking,  as  Mediator  andRe- 
deemer,  was  of  fufficient  Dignity  and  Worth. 

(2.^  That  he  was  fufHciently  authorized  to  adt  in  fuch  a 
Capacity. 

(3.)  That  what  he  has  done  is  perfe6lly  fuited,in  it's  own 
Nature,  to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  propofed. 

O  J  Jefus  Chrift  the  Mediator  between  God  and  Man^  as 
to  his  Perfon,  was  FIT  for  the  mediatorial  Office  and  Work, 

He 


aTid  dijli7igutjhed  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.  323 

He  was  of  fufficient  Dignity  and  Worth  -,  being  by  Nature 
GODy  equal  with  the  Father^  the  Brightnefs  cf  his  Glory ^  the 
exprefs  Li? age  of  his  Per/on.  Phil.  2.  Heb.  i.  He  was  G^^, 
(  Joh.  I.I.)  as  well  as  Man.  (  f.  14.  )  And  therefore  his 
Blood  was  confidered  and  valued,  as  being  the  Blood  cfGcd, 
(A6t.  20.  2 8. J  And  hence  it  is  Q2i\\td.  precious  Blood. {iVtt. 
I.  18,  19.^  As  to  his  Perlbn,  he  was  equal  with  God  the 
Father  inPoint  of  Worth  andDignity  :  And  it  was  as  much 
for  him  to  obey  and  die  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty  World, 
as  it  would  have  been,  for  God  the  Father  himfelf.  InPoint 
of  Dignity  and  Worth,  there  was  none  fuperiour  to  him. 
He  was  upon  a  Level  with  God  the  Father.  He  was  his 
Equal  and  Fellow.  Zech.  13.  7.  Awake ^  O  Sword., — againji 
the  Man  that  is  my  FELLOW.  He  was  as  glorious,  as 
honourable,  as  lovely.  He  was  therefore  fit  for  the  Office, 
able  to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  of  God  the  Governour  of  the 
World,  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juflice,  Law  andGovernment, 
and  perfedlly  to  fecure  the  divine  Honour,  viewed  inr  every 
Point  of  Light.  The  infiniteDignity  of  his  Nature  asGod, 
made  nim  capable  of  an  Obedience  of  infinite  moralExcel- 
lency  •,  and  capable  of  making  a  full  Satisfadlion  for  the 
infinite  Evil  ot  Sin.  He  could  magnify  the  Law  and  make 
it  honourable,  in  a  more  illuftrious  Manner,  than  all 
the  Angels  in  Heaven  and  Men  on  Earth  put  together  ; 
by  how  much  he  was  more  excellent  than  them  all.  If  the 
Son  of  God  obeys  and  dies,  it  is  enough  :  God  and  hisLaw 
are  for  ever  fecure.  Thus,  his  being  by  Nature  GOD,  ren- 
dered him  of  fufficient  Dignity  for  the  Office  and  Work  of 
a  Mediator.  Heh.  9.  14. 

And  this  it  was  alfo,  which  made  him  capable  of  under- 
taking. As  he  was  God^  he  was  under  no  Obligations,  on 
his  own  Account,  to  obey  a  Law  made  for  a  Creature ;  and 
he  had  an  abfolute  Right  to  himfelf.  Every  Perfon,  that 
is  a  me  re  Creature,  is  under  natural  Obligations  to  perfect 
Obedience  on  his  own  Account ;  nor  is  he  his  own  to  dif- 
pofe  of.  But  the  Son  of  God  was  above  a  mere  Creature, 
iie  was  a  divine  Perfon,  and  previous  to  his  Undertaking 
was  under  no  Obligation  to  Obedience  ;  he  had  an  original 
Right  to  himfelf,  and  was  not  by  Nature  under  the  Law ; 
he  was,  therefore,  at  his  own  Difpofal,  and  at  full  Liberty 

Y  t  to 


324        True  Religmt  deli?teated       Dis.  IL 

CO  undertake  in  ourRoom.  He  had  Power  to  afllime  human 
Nature,&  be  made  under  theLaw  for  us,&  obey  for  us, and 
fufFer  for  us  •,  for  he  might  do  what  he  would  with  his  own. 
Job.  10.17,18. — TheSufficiency  ofChrift  being  thus  origi- 
nally founded  in  his  Divinity  -,  Hence,  this  is  the  firftThing 
theApoftle  to  thef/f^r^u^j  infills  upon,incrder  to  exp]ain,clear 
up  and  confirm  theSafety  of  the  Way  of  Salvation  thro'  his 
^\oodi.Heb.  i .  To  clear  up  &  confirm  theSafety  of  theWay  of 
Salvation  thro'  the  Blood  of  Chiifl,  is  evidently  the  Scope 
and  Defign  of  that  Epiftle,  as  is  manifeft  from  the  ten  firfl 
Chapters.  Particularly  {^z  Chapter  10.  ^.  19 — 22.  And 
in  order  to  (hew  the  Safety  of  this  Way,  he  infifls  upon  the 
Excellency  of  his  Perfon,  and  the  Nature  of  his  Office,  his 
being  called,  appointed  and  authorized,  and  his  a6tually 
going  thro'  the  Work  of  our  Redemption  :  which,  toge- 
ther with  fome  occafional  Exhortations,  DigrelTions,  &c. 
is  the  Subflance  of  his  Difcourfe,  from  Chap.  i.  y,  i.  to 
Chap.  10.  )l\  23. 

Thus,  as  GOD,  he  was  of  infinite  Dignity  and  Worth  : 
as  GOD,  he  was  at  Liberty  to  undertake.  He  had  an 
Eftate  (if  I  may  fo  fpeak)  of  his  own,  and  could  pay  the 
Debt  of  another  with  what  w^as  his  own,  and  purchafe  for 
us  an  Inheritance.  And  I  may  add,  that  as  he  was  the 
Son  cf  God,  the  fecorid  Perfon  in  the  Trinity,  there  was  a 
Suitablenefs,  that  he,  rather  than  either  of  the  other  Per- 
fons,  fliould  be  appointed  to  this  Work.  The  Father 
fuftains  the  Charader  of  fupreme  Lord  and  Governour, 
afierts  the  Rights  of  the  God-head,  maintains  the  Honour 
of  his  Law  and  Government.  The  Son  becomes  Mediator 
between  God  and  Man,  to  open  a  Door  for  God  to  fhew 
Mercy  to  Man  confiftently  with  his  Honour,  and  for  Man 
to  return  to  God  with  Safety.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the 
San(flifter,  to  work  in  Sinners  to  will  and  to  dp,  and  reco- 
ver and  bring  them  to  repent  and  return  to  God  thro'  Je- 
fus  Chrift.  Thus  the  Gofpel  teaches  us  to  believe.  Eph. 
2.  18. 

He  alfo  was  made  FIcJJj  and  dwelt  among  us,  and  for  our 
fakes  was  made  under  the  Law  •,  to  the  End,  that  in  our 
Nature  he  might  fulfil  all  Right eoufncfs,  and  hear  the  Curfe. 
As  he  was  one  witjli  the  Father y  he  v.^as  fit  to  be  betrufted 

with 


and di/li7tguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   325 

with  his  Father* s  Honour.  As  he  was  Immamel,  God  with 
us,  he  was  fit  to  be  betruiled  with  our  Salvation.  As  he 
was  God-Man^  he  was  fit  to  be  Mediator  between  God  and 
Man.  His  Humanity  rendered  him  capable  to  appear  in 
the  Form  of  a  Servant^  and  to  become  obedient  unto  Death  : 
and  his  Divinity  rendred  his  Obedience  and  Sufferings  fuf- 
ficient  to  anfwer  the  Ends  defigned.  This  is  He  of  whom 
the  Text  fpeaks,  God  fo  loved  the  Worlds  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son.  He  gave  him,  he  appointed  him  to  the 
Work,  he  put  him  into  the  OfHce,  he  anointed  him,  and 
then  he  laid  on  him  the  Iniquities  of  us  all,  and  fet  him  forth 
to  be  a  Propitiation.       Which  brings  me  to  confider, 

(2.)  That  he  was  ftifficiently  authorized  to  be  a  Mediator  ■ 
betiveen  God  and  Man  ;  to  take  the  Place  of  Sinners,  and  to 
obey  and  die  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty  World.  —  God  the 
fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  had  fufHcient  Power  and 
Authority  to  appoint  theory?  ^i<:?;^  to  be  a  Reprelentativc 
for  his  Poflerity,  to  a6:  in  their  Room  :  and  by  the  fame 
Authority  he  has  appointed  his  Son,  the  fecond  Adam,  to 
be  a  fecond  publick  Head.  Rom.  5.  12 — 19.  By  divine 
Conflitution,  the  firfl  Adam  was  made  a  publick  Perfon  ; 
and  by  divine  Conftitution,  x}^z  fecond  Adam  is  made  fuch 
too.  Both  receive  all  their  Authority  to  act  in  that  Capa- 
city from  the  Conftitution  of  God. — The  calling,  appoint- 
iog  and  authorizing  of  Chrift,  to  take  upon  him  this  Office 
and  Work  of  a  Mediator  and  high  Prieft,  is  particularly 
treated  of  in  the  fifth  Chapter  to  the  Hebrews,  He  was 
called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron,  ver.  4.  He  took  not  this  high 
Office  upon  himfelf,  but  was  inverted  with  it  by  his  Father, 
f,  5.  .He  was  called  of  God  an  high  Priefl  after  the  Order  of 
Melchifedek,  f.  lo.  His  Father  propofed  the  Office  and 
the  Work ;  and  he  willingly  undertook.  Lo,  I  come  to  do 
thy  Will,  O  God.  Heb.  10.  7.  God  fo  loved  the  World,  that 
he  GAVE  his  only  begotten  Son,  Joh.  3.  x6.  And  hence 
Chrift  fays.  He  did  not  come  of  himfelf,  but  was  fent  of  his 
Father,  Joh.  7.  28,  29.  And  that  "he  did  not  comi^  to  do  his 
own  Will,  hut  the  Will  of  him  that  fent  him,  Joh.  6.  38. 
And  his  Father  acknowledges  him  as  fuch  by  a  Voic«  from 
Heaven.  Mat.  17.5.  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  lam 
well  pkafed\  hear  ye  him, 

Y  3  W^ithoui 


326  l^rue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

Without  fuch  a  divine  Conflitution,  the  Death  of  Chrift 
could  have  been  of  no  Benefit  to  Mankind.  As,  if  an  in- 
nocent Man  fhould  offer  to  die  in  the  Room  of  a  condem- 
ned Criminal,  and  Ihould  aclually  lay  down  his  Life  \  yet 
it  could  be  of  no  Benefit  to  the  poor  Criminal,  unlefs  the 
civil  Government  had  authorized  him  fo  to  do.  /.  e.  unlefs, 
by  fome  a6l,  they  had  declared,  that  his  Life  iliould  be  ac- 
cepted, in  the  Eye  of  the  Law,  inftead  of  the  Criminal's. 
The  Application  is  eafy. — ^  Thus  Chrift  was  called  and  put 
into  his  mediatoral  Office  and  authorized  to  the  Work,  by 
God  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World.  And  hence 
in  Allufion  to  the  Jewijh  Cuftom  of  anointing  Men,  when 
advanced  to  fomc  high  Office  and  important  Truft  •,  (  fo 
Aaron  was  anointed  Prieft,  and  David  was  anointed  King :  } 
In  Allufion,  I  fay,  to  this,  he  is  called  CHRISTy  which  is 
by  Interpretation,  the  ANOINTED,  Thus,  as  to  hisPer- 
fonal  Dignity,  he  v/as  fufficient  to  undertake  ^  and  thus, was 
he  authorized  to  do  fo.         And 

(3.)  What  he  has  done  is perfe5ily  fuited,  in  its  ownNature^ 
to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  propofed.  That  is,  to  fecure  theHo- 
nour  of  God,  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs,  Juftice  and 
Truth,  his  Law,  Governmelft  and  facred  Authority  ;  and 
fo  open  a  Door  for  the  free  and  honourable  Exercife  of  his 
Mercy  and  Grace  towards  a  finful,  guilty  World,  and  a 
V/ay  in  v/hich  Sinners  might  return  to  God  with  divine  Ac- 
ceptance. God  the  fupreme  Governour  of  theWorld  knew 
upon  what  Grounds  there  w^asNeed  of  a  Mediator,  what 
Ends  he  had  to  anfwer,  and  how  they  might  be  anfwered 
in  the  beft  Manner.  According  to  the  Counfcl  of  his  own 
Will,  in  his  infinite  Wifdom,  he  laid  the  very  Plan,  which 
is  now  revealed  to  us  in  the  Gofpel.  He  appointed  one 
to  be  aMediator  whom  he  judged  fit,  put  him  into  theOffice, 
and  appointed  him  his  Work.  All  this  Work  JefusChrift 
has  done.  He  has  finijhed  the  IVork,  ivhich  the  Father  gave 
him  to  do.  Joh.  17.  4.  &  19.  30.  And  fo  has  b^tn  faithful 
to  hint  that  appointed  him.  Heb.  3.2.  So  that  herefrom  we 
might  be  afifured,  that  what  he  has  done,  is  moft  perfedly 
fuited  in  it*s  own  Nature  to  anfwer  all  the  Ends  propofed, 
altho'  it  were  quite  beyond  us  to  underftand  how. — But,by 
the  Help  of  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  we  may  be  able 

to 


and  dtliinguiped  from  all  Counterfeits    327 

to  enter  a  little  Way  into  this  wonderful  and  glorious 
Myftery. 

It  was  fit,  the/r//  Adam^  as  the  Reprefentative  and  pub- 
lick  Head  of  Mankind,  Ihould,  as  a  Condition  of  the  ever- 
lafling  Love  and  Favour  of  God,  have  continued  in  a  moft 
willing  and  perfed  Subjedlion  to  God  the  Governour  of  the 
World,  valuing  his  Honour  and  Glory  above  all  Things. 
This  was  God's  Due.  This  would  have  fatisfied  God's 
Holinefs  :  for  Holinefs  is  fatisfied,  when  the  Thing  which 
is  right  and  fit  is  done.  Holinefs  wants  no  more  \  but  is 
then  content  and  well-pleafed.  And  upon  this  Condition, 
Mankind  might  have  been  confidered,  as  Subjeds  fit  for 
the  divine  Favour  ;  and  might  have  received  the  promifed 
Reward,  to  the  Honour  of  the  divine  Holinefs  and  Good- 

nefs. Now  Jefus  Chrift   the  Son  of  God  has,  by  his 

Father's  Appointment  and  Approbation,  alTumed  our  Na- 
ture, taken  Adam's  Place,  done  that  which  was  Adam's 
Duty  in  our  Room  and  Stead,  as  another  publick  Head, 
obeyed  the  Law  God  gave  his  Creature,  a  Law  which  he 
was  not  under,  but  in  Confequence  of  his  undertaking  to 
Hand  in  our  Room  and  Stead.  The  Creature  fails  of  pay- 
ing that  Honour  to  the  Governour  of  the  World,  which  is 
his  Due  from  the  Creature.  A  GOD  lays  afide  his  Glory, 
appears  in  the  Form  of  a  Servant,  and  becomes  Obedient  i 
and  fo,  in  the  Creature's  Stead  and  Behalf,  pays  that  Ho- 
nour to  the  Governour  of  the  World,  which  was  the  Crea- 
ture's Duty.  And  thus  the  Governour  of  the  World  is 
confidered,  refpedted,  treated  and  honoured,  as  being 
what  he  is,  by  Man,  i.  e.  by  their  Reprefentative  Chrift 
Jefus,  God-Man-Mediator.  And  now,  hereby  God's  Right 
to  the  Obedience  of  his  Creatures,  and  their  Unworthinefs 
of  his  Favour  upon  any  other  Condition,  arc  publickly 
owned  and  acknowledged  :  the  Debt  is  owned,  and  tiie 
Debt  is  paid  by  the  Son  of  God ;  and  fo  Holinefs  is  fatis- 
fied :  for  Holinefs  is  fatisfied,  when  the  Thing  that  is  right 
and  fit  is  done.  And  now  this  Door  being  opened,  Man- 
kind may  thro'  Chrifl  be  confidered  as  Subjects  to  whom 
God  may  fhew  Favour  confiftent  with  his  Honour.  Yea, 
the  divine  Holinefs  may  be  honoured,  by  granting  all  Fa- 
vours, as  a  Reward  to  Chrifl's  Virtue  and  Obedience, 

Y  4  AQ^-iti, 


328  True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

Again,  it  was  (it,  if  any  intclligentCreature  Hiou'd  at  any 
Time  fwcrve  at  all  from  the  perfe6l  Will  ol  God,  that  he 
fhould  for  ever  lofe  his  Favour,  and  fall  under  his  everlaft- 
ing  Difpleafure,  for  a  Thing  lb  iniinitely  Wrong.  And  in 
fuch  a  Cafe,  it  was  fit  the  Governour  of  the  World  fliould 
be  infinitely  difpleafed,  and  publickly  teftify  his  infinite 
Difpleafure,  by  a  Punifhment  adequate  thereto,infli6led  on 
the  finningCreature.  This  would  fatisfy  Juftice  :  forjuflice 
is  fatisfied,  when  the  Thing   which  is  wrong,  is  puniflied 

according  to  it's  Defert. Hence,  it  was  lit,  when,  by  a 

Conilitution  holy,  jufl  and  good,  Adam  was  made  a  public 
Head,  to  reprefent  his  Race,  and  a6l  not  only  for  himfelf, 
but  for  all  his  Pofterity  -,  it  was  fit,  I  fay,  that  he  and  all 
his  Race,  for  his  firft  Tranfgreflion,  ihould  lofe  the  Favour, 
and  fall  under  the  everiafting  Difpleafure,  of  the  Almighty. 
It  was  fit,  that  God  fhould  be  inRniteiy  difpleafed  at  fo 
abominable  a  Thing  •,  and  that  as  Governour  of  the  World 
he  fhould  publickly  bear  Teftimony  againfl  it,  as  an  infi- 
nite Evil,  by  inflicting  the  infinite  Punifhment  the  Law: 
threatned,  i.  e.  by  damning  the  whole  World.  This  would 
have  fatisfied  Juflice  :  tor  Juilice  is  fatisfied  when  Juftice 
takes  Place,  when  the  guilty  are  treated  with  that  Severity 
they  ought  to  be,  when  Sin  is  punilhed,  as  being  what  it 

is. —  Now,  Jefus  Chrift  the  Son  of  God  has,  by  his 

Father's  Appointment  and  Approbation,  afTumed  our  Na- 
ture, taken-  the  Place  of  a  guilty  World  •,  and  had  not  only 
Adamh  lirft  Tranfgreflion,  but  the  Iniquities  of  us  all  laid 
upon  him  ;  and  in  our  Room  and  Stead  has  fuiiered  the 
Wrath  of  God,  the  Curie  of  the  Law,  offering  up  himfelf 
a  Sacrifice  to  God  for  the  Sins  of  Men.  And  hereby  the 
infinite  Evil  of  Sin,  and  the  Righteouiiiefs  of  the  Law,  are 
publickly  owned  and  acknowledged,  and  the  deferved 
Punifhment  voluntarily  fubmittcd  unco  by  Man,  ie.  by 
their  Reprefcnrativc.  And  thus  Juflice  is  fatisfied :  For 
Juflice  is  fatisfied,  when  Juflice  takes  Place.  And  Sin  is 
now  treated  as  being  what  it  is,  as  much  as  if  God  had 
danjned  the  whole  World  ;  and  God,  as  Governour,  ap- 
pears as-fevere  againfl  it.  And  thus  the  Righteoufnefs  of 
(rod  is  declared  and  manifeiled,  by  ChriiVs  being  fet  forth 
to  be  a  l^n;pitiation  for  Sin  ;  and  he  may  now  be  juft, 
and^  V*^:  \\xi^'\['-;  hirn  that  believes  in  Jefus.  By 


and  dtfiinguijhed  from  alt  Counterfeits.  329 

By  all  this,  the  Law  is  magnified  and  made  honourable. 
On  the  one  Hand  •,  were  any  in  all  God's  Dominions  temp- 
ted to  think,  that  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  had 
dealt  too  fcverely  with  Man,  in  fufpending  his  evcrlafting 
Welfare  upon  the  Condition  of  perfe6l  Obedience  ?  God 
pradlically  anfwers,and  fays,  "  I  did  as  well  by  Mankind, 
"  as  I  fhould  defire  to  have  been  done  by,  my  felf ;  had  I 
"  been  in  their  Cafe,  and  they  in  mine.  For  when  my  Son, 
"  who  is  as  my  feif,  came  to  ftand  in  their  Stead,  I  required 

"  the  fame  Condition  of  him." And  what  the  Father 

fays,  the  Son  confirms.  He  pra6tically  owns  the  Law  to 
be  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  the  Debt  to  be  due,  and  pays 
it  moft  willingly  to  the  laft  Mite,  without  any  Objedion. 
Which  was  as  if  he  had  faid,  "There  v/as  all  the  Reafon  in 
"  the  World,  that  the  everlafting  Welfare  of  Mankind 
"  fhould  be  fufpended  on  that  Condition  -,  nor  could  I 
"  have  defired  it  to  have  been  otherwife,  had  1  my   felf 

"  been  in  their  Cafe." On  the  other  Hand  •,  were  any 

tempted  to  think,  that  God  had  been  too  fevere  in  threat- 
ning  everlafting  Damnation  for  Sin  ?  Here  this  Point  is 
alfo  cleared  up.  God  the  Father  pra6lically  fays,  that  he 
did,  as  he  would  have  been  done  by,  had  he  been  in  their 
Cafe,  and  they  in  his.  For  when  his  Son,  his  fecond  Self, 
comes  to  ftand  in  their  Place  -,  he  abates  nothing,  but  ap- 
pears as  great  an  Enemy  to  Sin,  in  his  Conduct,  as  if  he 
had  damned  the  whole  World.  His  Son  alfo  owns  the 
Sentence  juft.  He  takes  the  Cup  and  drinks  it  off.  Con- 
fidering  the  infinite  Dignity  of  his  Perfon,  his  Sufferings 
were  equivalent,  to  the  eternal  Damnation  of  fuch  Worms 
as  we. 

Thus  the  Law  is  magnified  and  made  honourable  ;  and 
at  the  fame  Time  the  Honour  of  God's  Government  &  f^- 
cred  Authority  is  fecured.  And  I  may  add,  fo  is  alfo  the 
Honour  of  his  Truth  :  for  he  has  been  true  to  his  Threat- 
ning.  In  the  Bay  thou  eat  eft  thereof,  thou  jhalt  furely  die  : 
For  on  that  very  Day  the  fecond  Adam  virtually  laid  down 
his  Life  in  the  Room  and  Stead  of  a  guilty  World.  He 
is  the  Lamb  ftain  from  the  Foundation  of  the  World. — So  that 
now  there  is  no  Room  left,  for  thofe  that  will  view  Things 
impartially,  to  have  undue  Thoughts  of  the  Governour  of 

the 


3  3  o         True  Religion  delineated      Di s .  II. 

the  World  •,  nor  any  Thing  done  to  expofe  his  Govern- 
ment to  Reproach,  or  his  Authority  to  Contempt.  The 
Honour  of  the  divine  Government  and  Authority  appears 
as  facred  and  tremendous,  as  if  he  had  damned  the  whole 
World.  And  altho'  Smners  will  take  Occafion  to  fin  and 
be  encouraged  in  their  Ways,  becaufe  Grace  abounds ;  yet 
the  Governour  of  the  World  has  not  given  the  Oc- 
cafion. In  his  Condudl,  the  whole  of  it  confidered, 
he  appears  as  fevere  againft  Sin,  as  if  he  had  damned 
the  whole  World,  without  any  Mixture  of  the  lead  Mercy. 
The  infinite  Dignity  of  his  Son  caufes  that  thofe  Suffer- 
ings he  bore  in  our  Room,  are  as  bright  a  Difplay  of  the 
divine  Holinefs  and  Jufticc,  as  if  all  the  human  Race  had 
for  their  Sin  been  call  into  the  Lake  of  Fire  &  Brimflane  \ 
and  the  Smoke  of  their  Torments  afcended  for  ever  and 
ever. 

Moreover,  By  all  this,  a  Way  is  opened  for  the  free 
and  honourable  Excrcife  of  Mercy  and  Grace  towards  a 
finful,  guilty  World.  It  may  be  done  confidently  with  the 
Honour  of  God,  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  his  Law  and 
Government,  his  Truth  and  facred  Authority :  tor  the 
Honour  of  all  thcfe  is  effedtually  fecured. — It  may  be  done 
to  the  Honour  of  divine  Grace  :  for  now  it  appears,  that 
God  did  not  pity  the  World  under  a  Notion  that  they  had 
been  by  him  feverely  and  hardly  dealt  with,  nor  under  a 
Notion  it  would  have  been  too  fevere  to  have  proceeded 
againft  them  according  to  Law.  The  Law  is  not  made 
void,  but  eftablifhed.  No  Refleflions  are  caft  upon  the 
divine  Government.  And  Grace  appears  to  be  free,  taking 
its  Rife,  not  from  any  Thing  in  us,  but  merely  from  felf- 
moving  Goodnefs  and  fovereign  Mercy.  —  This  Way  of 
Salvation  is  fuited  to  fet  off  the  Grace  of  God  to  Advantage, 
and  make  it  appear  to  be  what  it  is. 

Having  thus  finilhed  the  Work  afligned  him  ;  he  arofe 
from  the  Dead,  he  afcended  on  high,  he  entrcd  into  the 
Holy  of  Holies,  into  Heaven  it  felf,  to  appear  in  the  Pre- 
fence  of  God  for  us,  as  our  great  high  Prieft.  Heh.  9.  And 
here  as  God-Man  Mediator  he  is  exalted  to  the  higheftHo- 
nour,  has  a  Name  above  every  Name,  fits  on  the  right 
Hand  of  the  Majefty  on  high,  having  all  Power  in  Heaven 

and 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  331 

and  Earth  committed  unto  him,  and  ever  lives  to  make 
Interceflion,  and  is  able  to  fave  to  the  uttermoft  all  that 
come  to  God  thro'  him> — Such  is  the  Virtue  of  his  Righte- 
oufnefs  and  Blood,  and  fuch  is  his  Honour  and  Intereft  in 
the  Court  of  Heaven^  and  fuch  is  his  Faithfulnefs  to  all  that 
believe  in  him  -,  that  now  it  is  perfe(Stly  fafe,  to  return  to 
God  thro'  him,  and  venture  our  everlafting  ALL  upon  his 
Worth  and  Merits,  Mediation  and  Interceflion.  Heb.4.16. 
Let  us  therefore  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  Grace, 

Thus  we  fee  what  Neceflity  there  was  of  Satisfaction  for 
Sin,  and  that  the  Demands  of  the  Law  fhould  be  anfwered: 
And  thus  we  fee  what  has  been  done  for  thefc  Purpofes, 
and  it's  Sufficiency  to  anfwcr  all  the  Ends  propofed.  The 
Mediator  was  of  fufficient  Dignity  as  to  his  Perfon,  he  had 
fufficient  Authority  as  to  his  Office,  and  he  has  faithfully 
done  his  Work.  And  now  the  Honour  of  God's  Holinefs 
and  Juftice,  Law  and  Government  and  facredAuthority,  is 
fecured  •,  and  a  Way  is  opened  in  which  he  may  honoura- 
bly put  his  Defigns  of  Mercy  into  Execution,  and  Sinners 

fafely  return  unto  him. And  now,  before  I  proceed  to 

confider  more  particularly  what  a  Way  is  opened,  and  what 
Methods  God  has  entered  upon  for  the  Recovery  of  finful, 
guilty  Creatures  to  himfelf,  I  fliall  make  a  few  Remarks 
upon  what  has  been  faid. 

Remark  i.  As  the  Law  is  a  'Tranfcript  of  the  divineNa- 
ture^  fo  alfo  is  the  GofpeL  The  Law  is  holy,  juft  and  good, 
and  is  as  it  were  the  Image  of  the  Holinefs,  Juftice  and 
Goodnefs  of  God  ;  and  fo  alfo  is  the  Gofpel.  TheLaw  in- 
fifts  upon  God's  Honour  from  the  Creature,  and  ordains 
that  his  everlafting  Welfare  fhall  be  fufpended  upon  that 
Condition  ;  and  the  Gofpel  fays  Amen  to  it.  TheLaw 
infifts  upon  it,  that  it  is  an  infinite  Evil  for  the  Creature  to 
fwerve  in  the  leaft  from  the  moft  perfedl  Will  of  God,  and 
that  it  deferves  an  infinite  Punifhment ;  and  the  Gofpel 
fays  Amen  to  it.  TheLaw  difcovered  alfo  the  infiniteGood- 
nefs  of  God,  in  it's  being  fuited  to  make  the  obedient 
Creature  perfeftly  happy  -,  but  the  Gofpel  ftill  more  abun- 
dantly difplays  the  infinite  Goodnefs  and  wonderful  free 
Grace  of  God.  The  Law  was  holy,  juft  and  good,  and 
the  Iifiage  of  God's  Holinfefs,  Juftice  and  Goodnefs  5  but 

the 


332        True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II, 

the  Gofpel  is  more  eminently  {o  :  In  it  the  Holinefs,  Juf- 
tice  and  Goodnefs  of  God  are  painted  more  to  the  Life,  in 
a  Manner  truly  furprizing,  and  beyond  ourComprehenfion  -, 
yea,  to  the  Amazement  of  Angels,  who  defire  to  look  and 
pry  into  this  wonderful  Contrivance,   i  Feti  i.  12. 

Here  in  this  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  beheld. 
2  Cor.  3.18.  The  Glory  of  God  is  to  be  feen  in  the  Face  of 
Chnft.  2  Cor.  4.  6.  What  has  been  by  him  done  in  this 
Affair  difcovers  the  glorious  moral  Beauty  of  the  divine 
Nature.  Much  of  God  is  to  be  feen  in  the  moral  Law,  ic 
is  his  Image  •,  but  more  of  God  is  to  be  feen  in  the  Gofpel, 
for  herein  his  Image  is  exhibited  more  to  the  Life,  more 
clearly  and  confpicuoufiy. 

The  moral  Excellency  of  the  moral  Law  fufficiently  evi- 
dences, that  it  is  fromGod  •,  it  is  fo  much  like  God,that  it 
is  evident  that  it  is  from  God  :  So  the  moral  Excellency  of 
the  Gofpel  fafFiciently  evidences  that  it  is  from  God  ;  it  is 
fo  much  like  him.,  that  it  is  evident  that  it  is  from  him  :  It 
is  his  very  Image  :  therefore  it  is  hisOffspring  :  it  is  aCopy 
of  his  moral  Perfe6tions,  and  they  are  the  Original.  It  is 
fo  much  like  God,  that  it  is  perfe6tly  to  his  Mind,  he  is 
pleafed  with  it,  he  delights  to  faveSinners  in  thisWay.  And 
if  ever  this  Gofpel  becomes  the  Povvercf  God  to  our  Salva- 
tion, it  will  make  us  like  unto  God,  it  w^ill  transform  us  in- 
to his  Image,  and  we  fhall  be  pleafed  with  this  Way  of 
Salvation,  and  delight  to  be  faved  in  fuch  a  Way  ;  a  Way 
wherein  God  is  honoured,  the  Sinner  humbled,  the  Law 
eftabliflied,  Sin  difcountenanced,  Boafting  excluded,  and 
Grace  glorified. 

If  any  Man  has  a  Tafte  for  moral  Excellency,  a  Heart  to 
account  God  glorious  for  being  what  he  is ;  he  cannot  but 
fee  the  moral  Excellency  of  the  Law,  and  love  it,  and  con- 
form to  it  •,  becaufe  it  is  the  Image  of  God:  and  fo  he  can- 
not but  fee  the  mpral  Excellency  of  the  Gofpel,  and  believe 
it,  and  love  it,  and  comply  with  it  -,  for  it  is  alfo  the  Image 
of  God.  He  that  can  fee  the  moral.Beauty  of  theOriginal, 
cannot  but  fee  the  moral  Beauty  of  the  Image  drawn  to  the 
Life.  He  therefore  that  defpifes  theGofpel,  and  is  anEnc- 
my  to  the  Law  j  even  he  is  at  Enmity  againft  God  him- 
felff  Rem,  S.  7,  Ignorance  of  the  Glory  of  God  &  Enpiity 

againll 


and  dijl'mguijhedfrofh  all  Counterfeits.   333 

againft  him,  makes  Men  ignorant  of  the  Glory  of  the 
Law  and  of  the  Gofpel,  and  Enemies  to  both.  Did  Men 
know  and  love  him  that  begat ^  they  zvotild  love  that  which  is 
begotten  cf  him.  i  Joh.  5.  i.  He  that  is  of  GcclJ:>earethGcd's 
fp^ords  ;  ye  therefore  hear  them  nct^  becatifeye  are  not  of  God. 

Joh.  8.  47- 

And  therefore  a  genuine  CcmpHance  with  the  Gofpel 
fuppofes,  that  i>^,  u  ho  commanded  the  Light  to  fhine  out  of 
Barknefs^  fJAnes  in  the  Hearty  to  give  the  Light  of  the  Know- 
ledge of  the  Glory  of  God  in  the  Face  of  Jefus  Chrifi,  2  Cor. 
4,  6.  And  a  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  moral  Excellency  of 
the  Gofpel- Way  of  Salvation  alTures  the  Heart  of  it's  Divi- 
nity •,  and  hereby  a  fupernatural  and  divine  AfTent  to  the 
Truth  of  the  Gofpel  is  begotten  in  the  Heart.  And  a  Senfe 
of  the  infinite  Dignity  of  the  Mediator,  and  that  he  was 
fent  of  God,  and  that  he  has  finifned  the  Work  which  was 
given  him  to  do,  and  fo  opened  and  confecrated  a  new  anji 
living  Way  of  accefs  to  God  -,  together  with  a  Senfe  of  the 
full  and  free  Invitation,  to  Sinners  to  return  to  God  in  this 
Way,  given  in  the  Gofpel,  and  thefreeGrace  of  God  there- 
in difcovered,  and  his  Readinefs  to  be  reconciled  -,  a  fpiri- 
tual  Sight  and  Senfe  of  thefe  Things,  I  fay,  emboldens  the 
Heart  of  a  humbled  Sinner  to  truft  in  Chrifi,  and  to  re- 
turn to  God  thro'  him.  Hence  the  Apoile  to  \\\tHebrewSj 
having  gone  thro'  this  Subjed  in  a  dodrinal  Way,  in  the 
Conclusion  makes  this  pradical  Inference.  Having  there- 
fore^ Brethren^  Boldnefs  to  enter  into  the  Holiefl  by  the  Blood 
of  Jefus,  by  a  new  and  living  Way  which  he  hath  confecrated 
for  us,  thro'  the  Fail,  that  is  to  fay,  his  Flefh  *,  and  having  a 
high  Priefi  over  the  Houfe  of  God,  let  us  draw  near  with  a 
true  Heart  and  full  Affiirance  of  Faith,  Heb.  10.  1 9 — 2  2 . 

Rem.  2.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  obferve,that 
the  NecciTity  of  Satisfadlion  for  Sin  and  of  the  preceptive 
Part  of  the  Law  being  anfwered,  takes  it's  Rife  from  the 
moral  Perfedlions  of  the  divine  Nature,  and  the  moral  Fit- 
nefs  of  Things  -,  and  therefore  a  true  Idea  of  God  and  a 
juft  Senfe  of  the  moralFitnefs  of  Things  will  naturally  lead 
us  to  fee  the  Neceffity  of  Satisfadion  for  Sin,  &c.  and  pre- 
difpofe  us  to  underftand  and  believe  what  is  held  forth  by 
divine  Revelation  to  that  Purpofe.  Oa  the  otiier  Hand, 
•'  where 


334       True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  IL 

where  a  true  Idea,  of  the  moral  Perfedlions  of  God  and  the 
moral  Fitnefs  of  Things,  is  not  ;  but  on  the  contrary ,very 
wrong  Notions  of  the  divine  Being  and  of  the  true  Nature 
of  Things  -,  there  will  naturally  be  an  Indifpofition  and 
an  Averfion  to  fuch  Principles,  nor  will  what  the  Gofpel 
teaches  about  them  be  readily  underftood  or  believed.  And 
doubtlefs  it  was.  this  which  originally  led  feme  to  deny  the 
Neceflity  of  Satisfaftion  for  Sin,  and  others  to  go  a  Step 
farther,  to  deny  thatChrift  everdefigned  to  make  any.  Joh. 
8.  47.  He  that  is  of  Go d^  heareth  God's  fFcrds  -,  ye  therefore 
hear  them  not^  hecaufe  ye  are  not  of  God. 

Rem.  3.  The  Death  of  Chrift  was  not  dcfigned  at  all  to 
take  away  the  evil  Nature  of  Sin,  or  it's  ill  Defert  ^  for  Sin 
is  unalterably  v/hat  it  is,  and  cannot  be  made  a  lefs  Evil  : 
But  the  Death  of  Chrift  was  rather  on  the  contrary,  to  ac- 
knowledge and  manifeft  the  evil  Nature  and  ill  Defert  of 
Sin,  to  the  End  that  pardoning  Mercy  might  not  make  it 
feem  to  be  a  lefs  Evil  than  it  really  is.  So  that  altho'God 
may  freely  pardon  all  our  Sins  and  entitle  us  to  eternal  Life 
for  Chrift's  Sake  ;  yet,  he  does  look  upon  us,  confidered 
merely  as  in  our  felves,  to  be  as  much  to  blame  as  ever,and 
to  deferve  Hell  as  much  as  ever  -,  and  therefore  we  are  al- 
ways to  look  upon  our  felves  fo  too.  And  hence  we  ought 
always  to  live  under  a  Senfe  of  the  Freenefs  and  Riches  of 
God'sGrace  in  pardonmg  ourSins  -,  &  under  aSenfe  of  our 
own  Vilenefs  and  ill  Defert,  in  our  felves,  upon  the  Ac- 
count of  them,  altho'  pardon'd.  'That  thou  mayfi  remember 
and  he  confounded^  and  ne^uer  open  thy  Mouth  any  more  hecaufe 
cf  thy  Shame  J  when  I  am  pacified  toward  thee  for  all  that  thcu 
haft  done^  faith  the  Lord  God.  Ezek.  16.  63.  But  this  is 
iTot  the  Way  of  Hypocrites  :  For  being  once  confident 
that  their  Sins  are  pardoned,  their  Shame,  Sorrow  and 
Abafement  aj-e  foon  at  an  End.  And  having  no  Fear  of 
Hell,  they  have  but  little  Senfe  of  Sin.  And  from  the  Doc- 
trine of  free  Grace,  they  are  emboldened,  as  it  were,  to  fin 
upon  free  Coft.  But  thus  faith  the  Lord,  V/hen  I  fballfay 
to  the  Righteous^  that  he  fhall  furely  live  :  If  he  trufl  to  his 
own  Righteoufnefs  and  commit  Iniquity  ;  all  his  Righteoufnefs 
fhall  not  he  remembered^  but  ] or  his  Iniquity  that  he  hath  com- 
mit ted^  he  fhall  die  for  it.  Ezek.  33.  i.j. 

RtM. 


and dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.   335 

Rem.  4.  Nor  was  the  Death  of  Chrlfl:  defigned  to  draw 
forth  the  Pity  of  God  towards  a  guilty  World.  For  God 
could  find  it  in  his  Heart,  of  his  mere  Goodnefs,  without 
any  Motive  from  without,  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son 
to  die  for  Sinners.  But  this  was  greater  Goodnefs,  than  it 
would  have  been  to  have  laved  Mankind  by  an  A6t  of 
fovereign  Grace  without  any  Mediator  :  it  was  a  more 
expenfive  Way.  As,  for  an  earthly  Sovereign  to  give  his 
only  Son  to  die  for  a  Traitor,  that  the  Traitor  might  live, 
would  be  a  greater  A(5l  of  Goodnefs,  than  to  pardon  the 

Traitor,  of  mere   Sovereignty. It  was  not  therefore 

becaufe  the  Goodnefs  of  the  divine  Nature  needed  any 
Motive  to  draw  it  forth  into  Exercife,  that  Jefus  Chrift 
obeyed  and  died  in  our  Room  :  But  it  was  to  anfwer  the 
Ends  of  mqral  Government,  and  to  fecure  the  Honour 
of  the  moral  Governour  ;  and  fo  open  a  Way  for  the 
honourable  Exercife  of  the  divine  Goodnefs,  which,  in  its 
own  Nature,  is  infinite,  free  and  felf-moving,  and  wants 
no  Motive  from  without  to  draw  it  forth  into  A6t.  And 
the  fame,  no  doubt,  may  be  faid  of  Chrift's  InterceJJion  in 

Heaven. We  are  therefore,  in  our  approaches  to  God, 

not  to  look  to  Chrift  to  perfuade  the  Father  to  pity  and 
pardon  us,  as  tho'  he  was  not  wiUing  to  fhew  Mercy  of 
his  own  Accord  :  but  we  are  to  look  to  Chrift  and  go  to 
God  thro'  him  for  all  we  want,  under  a  Senfe  that  we  are 
in  our  felves  too  bad  to  be  pitied  without  fome  fufficient 
Salvo  to  the  divine  Honour,  or  to  have  any  Mercy  fhewn 
us.  And  therefore  when  we  look  to  be  juftified  by  free 
Grace^  it  muft  be  only  thro'  the  Redemption  that  is  in  Jefus 
Chrift  ;  who  has  been  fet  forth  to  he  a  Propitiation  for  Sin^ 
to  declare  God's  Right eoufnefs^  that  he  might  be  jujl^  and  the 
Jujiifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jefus,  Rom.  3.24,25,26. 

Rem.  5.  Some  of  the  peculiar  Principles  of  the  Antino- 
mians^  feem  to  take  their  Rife  from  wrong  Notions  of  the 
Nature  of  Satisfadion  for  Sin.  They  feem  to  have  no 
right  Notions  of  the  moral  Perfections  of  God,  and  of  the 
natural  Obligations  we  are  under  to  him,  nor  any  right 
Apprehenfions  of  the  Nature  and  Ends  of  moral  Govern- 
ment, nor  any  Ideas  of  the  Grounds,  Nature  and  Ends  of 
•Satisfadion  for  Sin.  ( A  right  Senfe  of  v/hich  Things  tends 

powerfully 


3  3  6       True  Religion  delineated        D  i  s .  11. 

powerfully  to  promote  a  holy  Fear  and  reverential  Awe  of 
the  dread  Majelly  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  a  Scnfe  of  the 
infinite  Evil  of  Sin,  brokcnnefs  of  Heart,  tendernefs  of 
Confcience,  a  humble,  holy,  watchful,  prayerful  Temper 
and  Life,  as  well  as  to  prepare  the  Way  icTFaith  in  the 
Blood  of  Chrift.)  But  they  feem  to  have  no  right  Appre- 
henfions  of  thefe  Things.  They  feem  to  confider  God 
merely  under  the  Notion  of  a  Creditor^  and  us  merely  under 
the  Notion  of  Debtors  ;  and  to  fuppofe,  when  Chrift  upon 
the  Crofs  faid,  //  is  finijhed^  he  then  paid  the  whole  Debt  of 
theEle6l,and  faw  theBook  croft, whereby  all  their  Sins  were 
a^lually  blotted  out  and  forgiven :  and  now  all  that  re- 
mains, is  for  the  holy  Spirit  immediately  to  reveal  it  to 
one  and  another,  that  he  is  eleded,  and  fo  for  him  Chrift 
died,  and  fo  his  Sins  are  all  pardoned  \  whigh  Revelation 
he  is  firmly  to  believe,  and  never  again  to  doubt  of :  and 
this  they  call  Faith,  From  which  it  feems  they  underftand 
nothing  rightly  about  God  or  Chrift,  the  Law  or  Gofpel. 
For  nothing  is  more  evident  than  that  God  is  in  Scripture 
confidcred  as  righteous  Govermur  of  the  World,  and  we  as 
Criminals  guilty  before  him ;  and  the  evident  Defign  of 
Chrifb's  Death  was,  to  be  a  Proptiatic7t  for  Sin,  to  declare 
and  manifeft  God's  Righteouinefs,that  he  might  be  juft,  and 
thejuftifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jefus.  Rom.  3.  9 — 26. 
And  the  Gofpel  knows  nothing  about  a  Sinner's  being 
juftified  in  any  other  Way  than  i^y  Faith,  and  by  Confe- 
quence  in  order  of  Nature  not  till  after  Faith.  The  Gofpel 
knows  nothing  about  Satisfa6tion  for  Sin  in  their  Senfe  ; 
but  every  where  teaches  that  the  Ele^,  as  well  as  others, 
are  equally  under  Condemnation  and  the  Wrath  of  God,  yea, 
are  Children  of  Wrath  while  Unbelievers.  J  oh.  3.  18,36. 
Efh.  2.  3.  A^.  3.  19. 

Again,  While  they  confider  God  merely  under  the  Cha- 
racter of  a  Creditor,  and  us  merely  as  Debtors,  and  Chrift  as 
paying  the  whole  Debt  of  the  Eled: ;  now  bccaufe  Chrift 
obeyed  the  Law,  as  well  as  fufFered  it*s  Penalty,  therefore 
they  feem  to  think,  that  Chrift  has  done  all  their  Duty,  fo 
as  that  now  they  have  none  to  do,  nothing  to  do  but  firmly 
to  believe  that  Chrift  has  done  all.  They  have  nothing  to 
do  with  the  Law,  no,  not  fo  much  as  to  be  their  Rule  to 

live 


and  diftinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   337 

live  by  ;  but  are  fet  at  full  Liberty  from  all  Obligations  to 
any  Duty  whatfoever. — Not  underftanding,  thdilChrift  gave 
himfelf^  to  redeftn  his  People  frorri  all  Iniquity ^and  purify  them 
to  himfelf-,  a^peculiar  People,  zealous  of  good  IVorks^  Tit.  2. 14. 
And  not  underftanding,that  our  natural  Obligations  to  per- 
fe6l  Obedience  are  not  capable  of  being  diflblved.  Mat, 
5.  17.  And  net  underftanding,  that  our  Obligations  to  all 
holy  living,  are  mightily  increafed  by  the  Grace  of  the 
Golpel.  Rom.  12.  i.  Indeed  they  feem  to  underftand  no- 
thing rightly,  but  to  view  every  thing  in  a  wrong  Light. 
And  inftead  of  confidering  Chrift  as  a  Friend  to  Holinefs, 
as  one  that  loves  Right eoufnefs  and  hates  Iniquity y  Heb.i.  9. 
they  make  him  a  Minifter  of  Sin^  Gal.  2.17.  and  turn  the 
Grace  of  God  into  Wantonnefs.  All  their  Notions  tend 
to  render  their  Confciences  infenfible  of  the  Evil  of  Sin,  to 
cherilh  fpiritual  Pride  and  carnal  Security,  and  to  open  a 
Door  to  all  Ungodlinefs. 

Section     V. 

Shewing^  a  Door  of  Mercy  is  opened  by  yeftis 
Chriji  for  a  guilty  World. 

I  come  now  to  another  Thing  propofed,  viz, 
III.  To  fhew  more  particularly  what  a  Way  to  Life  has 
leen  opened,  hy  what  Chriji  our  Mediator  has  done  l£  fuffered. 
In  general ;  from  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  fee  that 
the  mighty  Bar  which  lay  in  the  Way  of  Mercy,  is  remov- 
ed by  Jefus  Chriil  :  and  now  a  Door  is  opened,  and  a  Way 
provided,  v/herein  the  great  Governour  of  theW^orld  may, 
confiftent  with  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice,  his 
Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority,  and  to  the 
Glory  of  his  Grace,  put  in  Execution  all  his  Defigns  of 
Mercy  towards  a  finful,  guilty,  undone  World.  But  to  be 
more  particular, 

,.  (i.)  A  Way  is  opened,  wherein  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World  mayy  ionfifient  with  his  Honour  and  to  the  Glory  of  his 
Grace,  pardon  and  receive  to  Favour  and  intitle  to  eternal  Life ^ 
alkf^i-^very-one  of  the  human  Race,  who  Jhall  cordially  fall 
in  with  the  Gofpel-Deftgn^  hlieve  in  ChriJl^  and  return  home  to 
G^  thro'  him,  Z  What 


338        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

What  Chrift  has  done  is  in  Fad  fufficient^  to  open  a  Door 
for  God  thro'  him  to  become  recondlcMe  to  the  whole 
World.  The  Sufferings  of  Chrift,  all  Things  confidcred, 
have  as  much  difplayed  God's  hatred  of  Sin,  and  as  much 
fecured  the  Honour  of  his  Law,  as  if  the  whole  World 
had  been  damned  ;  as  none  will  deny,  who  believe  the  infi- 
nite Dignity  of  his  divine  Nature.  God  may  now  therefore 
thro'  Jefus  Chrift  ftand  ready  to  pardon  the  whole  World. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  Way. — And  the  Obedience  of  Chrift 
has  brought  as  much  Honour  to  God  and  to  his  Law,  as 
the  perfect  Obedience  of  Adam  and  of  all  his  Race  would 
have  done.  The  Rights  of  the  God^head  are  as  much 
aflerted  and  maintained.  So  that  there  is  nothing  in  the 
Way,  but  that  Mankind  may,  thro'  Chrift,  be  received  in- 
to full  Favour,  and  intitled  to  eternal  Life.  God  may 
ftand  ready  to  do  it,  confiftent  with  his  Honour.  What 
Chrift  has  done  is  every  Way  fufficient.  Mat.  22.4.  All 
things  are  now  ready. 

And  God  has  exprefly  declared,  that  it  was  the  Deftgn 
of  Chrift's  Death,  to  open  this  Door  of  Mercy  to  alL  Joh. 
3.  16.  God  fo  loved  the  fVORLD^  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  that  WHOSOEVER  believeth  in  him  jhould  not 
ferijh,  but  have  everlafting  Life.  That  whofoever  o\ah  Man- 
kind, whether  Jew  or  Greek,  Bond  or  Free,  Rich  or  Poor, 
without  any  Exception,  tho'  the  Chief  of  Sinners,  that  Re- 
lieves, Jhould  be  faved.  For  thisjE;?i,God  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son.  He  fet  him  forth  to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin, 
that  he  might  be  jufl,'  and  the  Jufiifier  of  him  (  without 
^ny  Exception,  let  him  be  who  he  will, )  that  believeth  in 
Jefus.  Rom.  3.  25,26. 

Hence,  the  Apoftles  received  an  univerfal  Commiflion. 
Matt.  28.19.  Go,  teach  ALL  NATIONS.  Mar.  16.  15,16. 
Go  ye  into  ALL  the  World,  and  preach  theGofpelto  EVERT 
CREATURE.  Accordingly,the  Apoftles  proclaimed  the 
News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  to  every  one,  offered  Mercy  to 
all  without  Exception,  and  invited  all  without  Diftindlion. 
He  that  believeth  fhall  be  faved  :  Repent  and  be  Converted^ 
that  your  Sins  may  be  blotted  out :  Were  Declarations  they 
made  to  all  in  general.  To  the  Jewijh  Nation  they  were 
ftnt  to  favj  in  the  Name  of  the  King  of  Heaven,  I  have 

prepared 


and dijiinguij}:ed from  all  Count erfeits.  339 

prepared  my  Dinner :  My  Oxen  and  my  Fallings  are  killed^aitd 
all  Things  are  ready  :  Come  unto  the  Marriage.  Matt.  22.4. 
And  as  to  the  G>;?//7<?  Nations,  their  Orders  ran  thus.  Go  ye 
therefore  into  the  High-Ways.,  and  as  manyasye  find^  bid  to  the 
Marriage.  /.  9.  lo  the  J^ic//^  Nation,  God  had  been  ufed 
to  fend  his  Servants  the  Prophets,  in  the  Days  of  Old,  fay- 
ing, Turn  ye.,  turn  ye^  why  will  ye  die  ?  Ezek.  33.  11.  Hoy 
every  one  that  thirfieth.,  come.  Ifai.  55.  i.  Incline  your  Ear^ 
and  come  unto  me  :  Hear^  and  your  Souljhall  live.  /.  3.  And 
now  Orders  are  given,  that  the  whole  World  be  invited  to 
a  Reconciliation  to  God  thro'  Chriil.  Whofoever  will  let  him 
come.,  and  he  that  cometh  jhall  in  no  wife  he  cafi  out.  Thus, 
Chrift  has  opened  a  Door  ;  and  thus,  the  Great  Governour 
of  the  World  may,  confiflent  with  his  Honour,be  reconcil- 
ed to  any  that  believe  and  repent :  And  thus  he  adually 
{lands  ready. 

And  now  allUhings  being  thus  rec^y  on  God's  Side,  and 
the  Offers,  Invitations  and  Calls  of  the  Gofpel  being  to  e- 
very  one  without  Exception  ;  Hence,  it  is  attributed  toSin- 
ners  themfclves,  that  they  perifh  at  laft,  even,  to  their  own 
voluntary  Condu6l.     Te  will  not  come  to  me.,  that  ye  might; 
have  Life.  Joh.  5.  40.  And  they  are  confidered  as  being 
perfedly  inexcufabie.  Joh.  15.  22.  Now  they  have  no  Cloke 
for  their  Sin.     And  all  becaufe  a  Way  is  opened,  in  which 
they  might  be  delivered  from  Condemnation,  but  they  will 
not  comply  therewith.  Joh.  3.  19.  T^bis  is  the  Condemnatioriy 
that  Light  is  come  into  the  World.,  and  Men  loved  Dark- 
nefs  rather  than  Light.,  becaufe  their  Deeds  were  EviL     And 
therefore,  in  Scripture- Account,  they  Hand  expofed  to  a 
more  aggravated  Punifhment  in  the  World  to  come.  Matt. 
II.  20 — 24.  Wo  unto  thee.,  Chorazin,  Wo  unto  thee^  Beth- 
faida  —  &c.    Ayid  thou  Capernaum,  which  art  exalted  unto 
Heaven.,  fhalt  be  brought  down  to  Hell :  &c.  It  Jhall  be  more 
tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  a7id  Sodom  in  the  Day  ofjudg-^ 
ment.,  than  for  thefe  Cities  :    Becaufe  they  repented  not. 

And  now  becaufe  the  Door  of  Mercy  is  thus  opened  to 
the  whole  World  by  the  Blood  of  Chrift,  therefore  in  Scrip- 
ture he  is  called,  the  Saviour  of  the  WORLD,  i  Joh.  4.  14. 
The  Lamb  of  God,  which  takes  away  the  Sin  of  the  WORLD y 
Joh.  1.29.  A   'Propitiation  for  the  Sins  of  the  WHOLE 

Z  2  WORLD. 


34^       Tf^ue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  11. 

WORLD,  I  Joh.  2.  2.  "that gave  himfelf  aRanfom  for  ALL, 
I  Tim.  2.  6.   And  tafted  Death  for  EVERT  MAN,  Heb. 

2.  9.  The  plain  Senfe  of  all  which  ExprelTions  may,  I 
think,  without  any  Danger  of  Miftake,  be  learnt  from  Joh. 

3.  16.  God  fo  loved  the  WORLD ^  that  he  gave  his  only  be- 
gotten Son,  that  WHOSOEVER  believcth  in  him^  fhould  not 
Perifh^  but  have  everlafting  Life.  *  And  indeed,  was  not  the 
Door  of  Mercy  opened  to  all  indefinitely,  how  could  God 
Jtncerely  offerMercy  to  all  ?  Or  heartily  invite  all  ?  Oxjuflly 

blame  thofe  who  do  not  accept  ?  Or  righteoujly  punifh  them 
for  neglecting  fo  great  Salvation  ? 

Befides,  if  Chrift  died  merely  for  the  Ele5f,  that  is,  to 
the  Intent,  that  they  only  upon  believing,  migh",  confifl- 
cnt  with  the  divine  Honour,  be  received  to  Favour  ;  then 
God  could  not,  confiflent  with  his  Juftice,  fave  any  befides, 
if  they  fhould  believe.  For  without  fhedding  of  Bloody  there 
can  be  no  Remiffion,  tjpb.  9.  22.  If  Chrift  did  not  defign 
by  his  Death  to  open  a  Door  for  all  to  be  faved  conditio- 
nally, i.  e.  upon  the  Condition  of  Faith,  then  there  is  no 
fuch  Door  opened.  The  Door  is  not  opened  wider  than 
Chrift  defigned  it  fhould  be.  There  is  nothing  more  pur- 
chafed  by  his  Death,  than  he  intended.  If  this  Benefit  was 
not  intended,  then  it  is  not  procured.  If  it  be  not  pro- 
cured, then  the  Non-Ele6l  cannot  any  of  them  be  faved, 
confiftent  with  divine  Juftice.     And  by  Confequence,if  this 

be  the  Cafe,  then (i.)  ^he  Non-Ele5l  have  no  Right  at 

ally  to  take  any  the  leail  Encouragement y  from  the  Death  of 
Chrifl  or  the  Invitations  of  the  Gofpely  to  return  to  God  thro* 
Chrijl  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance,     For  there  are  no  Grounds 

of 

■*  "  I  am  ready  to  profefs,"  fays  the  famous  DoftorTwissE,  "  and  that, 
"  I  fuppofe,  as  out  of  tlieMouths  of  all  ourDivines,that  every  one  who 
*•  hears  theGofpel,  ( withoutDiftindlion  between  Eledl  or  Reprobate) 
**  is  bound  to  believe  that  Chrift  died  for  him,  fo  far  as  to  procure  both 
*'  the  Pardon  of  iiis  Sins  and  the  Salvation  of  his  Soul,  in  Cafe  he 
**  believes  and  repents."  Again,  "  As  Peter  could  not  have  been  faved, 
**  unlcfs  he  had  believed  and  repented  ;  fo  Judas  might  have  been 
"  faved,  if  he  had  donefo."  Again,  "  Joh.  3.  16.  gives  a  fair  Light 
"  of  Expofition  to  thofe  Places  where  Chrift  isfaid  to  have  died  for  the 

■  **  Sins  of  the  World,  yea,  of  the  ijchole  World,  to  wit,  in  thisManner  that 
•*  nvhofoever  bel'u'veth  in  him,  fhould  not  Perijh,  but  have  enjerlafing 
"  Ufer^  Dr.  T\vi5SE  on  the  Riches  of  Gofs  Love  to  the  VeffeU  of 


and  dijltngutjhed from  all  Counterfeits.  341 

of  Encouragement  given.     Chrift  did  not  die  for  them  in 
any  Senfe.  It  is  rmpoflible,  their  Sins  fliould  be  pardoned, 
confiftent  with  Juftice  :  as  much  impofTible  as  if  there  had 
never  been  a  Saviour,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died.     And  fo 
there  is  no  Encouragement  at  all  for  them.     And  there- 
fore it  would  be  Prefumption  in  them  to  take  any.     All 
which  is  apparently  contrary  to  the  whole  Tenor  of  the 
Gofpel,  which  every  where  invites  all,  and  gives  equal  En- 
couragement to  all.     Come^  for  all  "Things  are  ready ^  faid 
Chrift  to  the  reprobate  Jews^  Mat.  22.  4.  —  And  if  the 
Non-Eled  have  no  Right  to  take  any  Encouragement  from 
the  Death  of  Chrift  and  the  Invitations  of  the  Gofpel,   to 
return  to  God  thro'  him  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance,  then — 
(2.)  No  Man  at  all^  can  rationally  take  any  Encouragement^ 
until  he  knows  that  he  is  ele^ied.     Becaufe,   until  then,  he 
can't  know,  that  there  is  any  Ground  of  Encouragement. 
It  is  not  rational  to  take  Encouragement,    before    we  fee 
fufficient  Grounds  for  it  :    yea,  it  is  Prefumption  to  do  fo. 
But  no  Man  can  fee  fufficient  Grounds  of  Encouragement 
to  truft  in  Chrift,  and  to  return  to  God  thro'  him.,in  Hopes 
of  Acceptance  ;  unlefs  he  fees  that  God  may,  thro'  Chrift, 
confiftent  with  his  Honour,   accept  and  fave  him,  and  is 
willing  fo  to  do.  If  God  can,  and  is  adlualiy  willing  to  fave 
any  that  comes  ;  then  there  is  no  Objedion.     I  may  come^ 
and  any  may  come,  all  Things  are  ready ^   there  is  Bread 
enough  amd  to  fpare.     But  if  God  is  reconcilable  only  to  the 
Ele6t  ;  then  I  may  not  come,  I  dare  not  come,  it  would  be 
Prefumption  to  come,  'till  I  know  that  I  am  defied.  And 
how  can  I  know  that  ?  Why,  not  by  any  Thing  in  all  the 
Bible.     While  anUnbeliever,  'tis  impofTible  I  fhould  know 
it  by  anyThing  in  Scripture  :  It  is  no  where  faid  in  exprefs 
Words,  that  I,  by  Name,  am  eleded,  and  there  are  noRules 
of  Trial  laid  down  in  fuch  a  Cafe,     And  how  can  I  there- 
fore in  this  Cafe,   ever  know  that  I  am  eleded,  but  by  an 
immediate  Revelation  from  Heaven  ?  And  how  ftiall  I 
know,   that  this  Revelation  is  true  ?  How  ftiall  I  dare  to 
venture  my  Soul  upon  it  ?  The  Gofpel  does  not  teach  me 
to  look  for  any  fuch  Revelation,  nor  give  any  Marks  where- 
by I  may  know  when  it  is  from  God,  and  when  from  the 
Devil.    Thus,  an  invincible  Bar  is  laid  in  my  Way  to  Life. 

23  I 


34^        True  Religtoit  delineated       Dis.  11. 

I  mud  know  that  I  am  one  of  theEledt,  before  I  can  fee  any 
Encouragement  to  believe  in  Chrift :  becaufe  none  but  the 
Ele6l  have  any  more  Bufinefs  to  do  fo,  than  the  Devils. 
But,  if  lam  one  of  the  Eled,  yet  it  is  impolTible  I  fhould 

know  it,    'till  afterwards. Befides,  all  this  is  contrary 

to  the  whole  Tenor  of  the  Gofpel  •,  Whcfoever  will,  let  him 
come  \  JVhofoever  comes^jhall  in  no  wife  he  caft  out  *,  Whofo- 
ever  believes^  Jhall  he  faved. —  And  contrary  to  the  Experi- 
ence of  all  true  Believers,  who  in  their  firft  Return  to  God 
thro'  Chrift,  always  take  all  their  Encouragement  from  the 
Gofpel,  and  lay  the  Weight  of  their  Souls  upon  the  Truth 
of  that,  and  venture  their  eternal  All  upon  thisBottom  ;  and 
not  upon  the  Truth  of  any  new  Revelation.  They  ven- 
ture their  All  upon  the  Truths  already  revealed  in  the 
Gofpel,  and  not  upon  the  Truth  of  any  Proportion  not  re- 
vealed there, 

So  that  let  us  view  this  Point   in  what  Light  w^e   will, 

nothing  is  more  clear  and  certain,  than  that  Chrift   died, 

tlMt  WHOSOEVER  helievetb  in  bim,  Jloould  not  perifo,  but 

have  everlafting  Life.     And  God  may  now  bejuji^  and  yet 

juflify  any  of  the  Race  of  Adam.,t\\2it  believe  in  Jefus.    And 

he  ftands  ready  fo  to  do. And  thefe  Things    being 

true,  the  Servants,  upon  good  Grounds,  might,  in  their 
Mailer's  Name,  tell  the  obftinate  Jews,  who  did  not  belong 
to  the  Eledion  of  Grace,  and  who  finally  refufed  to  hearken 
to  the  Calls  of  the  Gofpel,  Behold^  I  have  prepared  my  Din- 
ner :  my  Oxen  and  my  Fatlings  are  killed.^  and  all  Things  are 
ready  :  Come  unto  the  Marriage.  Mat.  22.  4.  And  if  they 
had  come,  they  would  have  been  heartily  welcome  :  The 
Provifion  made  was  fufficient,  and  the  Invitation  fincere  : 
Jefus  wept  over  them,  faying,  O  that  tUu  hadfl  known.,  in 
this  thy  Bay.,  the  'Things  which  belong  to  thy  Peace  !  So  that 
there  was  nothing  to  hinder,  had  they  but  been  willing. 
But  it  feems  they  wxre  otherwife  difpofcd  -,  and  therefore 
they  made  light  of  it.,  and  went  their  Ways.,  one  to  his  Farm, 
another  to  his  Merchandtfe-,  and  the  Remnant  took  his  Ser- 
i-ants,  and  entreated  them /pit  efully,  and  flew  them,  (/.5,  6.) 
And  in  this  Glafs  we  may  fee  the  very  Nature  of  all  Man- 
kind, and  how  all  would  a6i:ually  do,  if  not  prevented  by 
divine  (}race. — Juftly,  therefore,  at  the  Day  of  Judgment, 

will 


and  dijlinguijhedfrom  all  CotmterfeitSy  343 

will  this  he  the  Condemnation,  that  Light  is  come  into  the 
IVorldy  but  Men  loved  Barknefs  rather  than  Light.  For 
certainly,  if  Mankind  are  fo  perverfely  bad,  that,  notwith- 
{landing  their  natural  Obligations  to  God,  and  the  Unrea- 
fonablenefs  of  their  original  Apoftacy,  they  will  yet  perfift 
in  their  Rebellion  ;  and  after  all  the  glorious  Provifion, 
and  kind  Invitations  of  the  Gofpel,  will  not  return  to  God 
thro'  Chrift  :  I  fay,  certainly,  God  is  not  obliged  to  come 
out  after  them,  and  by  his  all-conquering  Grace  irrefiftibly 
reclaim  them  :  but  may  juilly  let  every  Man  take  his  own 
Courfe,  and  run  his  own  Ruin.  And  an  aggravated  Dam- 
nation will  every  fuch  Perfon  deferve  in  the  comingWorld, 
for  7tsgle5fingfo  great  Salvation,  Heb.  2.  2,  3. 

And  now,  if  Chrift's  Atonement  and  Merits  be  thus  fuf- 
ficient  for  all,  and  if  God  Hands  ready  to  be  reconciled  to 
all,  and  if  all  are  invited  to  return  and  come  :  Hence  then 
we  may  learn,  that  it  is  fafe  for  any  of  the  poor,  finful, 
guilty,  loft,  undone  Race  of  Jda?n  to  return  to  God  in  this 
Way.  They  ihall  furely  find  Acceptance  with  God.  They 
may  come  without  Money,  and  without  Price ;  and  he  that 
cometh  fiall  in  no  wife  be  caft  out. 

And  hence  we  may  fee,  upon  what  Grounds  it  is,  that 
the  poor,  convinced,  humbled  Sinner  is  encouraged  and 
emboldened  to  venture  his  All  upon  Chrift,  and  return  to 
God  thro'  him.  'Tis  becaufe  any  poor,  finful,  guilty,  Hell- 
deferving  Wretch  may  come  ;  any  in  the  World  ;  the 
worft  in  the  World  •,  the  vileft,  and  moft  odious  and  def- 
picable  :  For  fuch  he  a6lually  takes  himfelf  to  be.  And 
if  he  did  not  fee  that  there  was  an  open  Door  for  fuch,  for 
any  fuch,  for  all  fuch,  he  would  doubt,  and  that  with  good 
Reafon  too,  whether  he  might  fafely  come.  But  when 
he  underftands  and  believes  the  Gofpel-Revelation,  and  fo 
is  aflured  that  it  is  fafe  for  any,  for  all,  the  vileft  and  the 
worft ;  now  the  peculiar  Vilenefs  and  Unworthinefs  which 
he  fees  in  himfelf,  ceafes  to  be  an  Objedlion.  He  fees  it 
fafe  for  any,  and  therefore  for  him.  And  hence  takes 
Courage,  and  is  emboldened  to  venture  his  All,  upon  the 
free  Grace  of  God,  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  •,  and  fo  returns  in 

hopes  of  Acceptance. Now,  does  this  poor  Sinner 

venture  upon  a  fafe  Foundation  ?  Or  does  he  ngt  ?-- — - 

Z  4  ll^< 


344  '       ^True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

He  takes  it  for  granted,  that  the  fupreme  Governour  of 
the  World  can,  confidently  with  his  Honour,  fliew  Mercy 
to  any  that  come  to  him  thro'  Chrift  •,  and  he  takes  it  for  \ 
granted,  that  he  (lands  ready  to  do  fo,even  to  the  vileft  and 
worft  ;  that  the  Door  of  Mercy  (lands  wide  open  \  and 
whofoever  will^  may  come :  And  upon  thefe  Principles,  he 
takes  Encouragement  to  return  to  God  in  hopes  of  Ac- 
ceptance :  and  from  a  Senfe  of  his  ownWants,  and  of  the 
Glory  and  All-fufficiency  of  the  divine  Nature,  of  the 
Ble(rednefs  there  is  in  being  the  Lord's,  devoted  to  him 
and  living  upon  him,  he  does  return  with  all  his  Heart  •, 
and  to  God  he  gives  himfelf,  to  be  for  ever  his :  and  if  the 
Gofpel  be  true,  furely  he  muft  be  fafe.  The  Trutb  of  the 
Gofpel  is  the  Foundation  of  all  •,  for  upon  that,  and  that 
only  he  builds  :  not  upon  Works  of  Righteoufnefs  which 
he  has  done,  not  upon  any  immediate  Revelation  of  Par- 
don or  the  Love  ot  Chrift  to  him  in  particular  \  but  merely 
upon  Gofpel-Principles.  If  they  therefore  prove  true,  in 
the  coming  World  ;  then  will  he  receive  the  End  of  his 

Faith,  the  Salvation  of  his  Soul. But  to  return, 

Thus  we  fee  that  by  the  Death  of  Chriil,  there  is  a  wide 
Door  opened  for  divine  Mercy  to  exercife  and  difplay  it 
felf :  the  fupreme  Governour  of  theWorld  may,  confiftent- 
ly  with  his  Honour,  now  feat  himfelf  upon  a  Throne  of 
Grace,  and  proclaim  the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  thro' 
a  guilty  World  ;  and  it  is  perfe6lly  fafe  for  any  of  the  guilty 

Race  o^  Adam^  to  return  unto  him  thro'  Jefus  Chriil. 

And  now,  were  Mankind  in  a  Difpofition  to  be  heartily 
forry  for  their  Apoftacy  from  God,  and  difpofed  to  efteern 
it  their  indifpenfableDuty  and  higheft  Ble(rednefs  to  return  ; 
were  this  the  Cafe,  the  joyful  News  of  a  Saviour  and  of 
Pardon  and  Peace  thro'  him,  would  fly  thro'  the  V/orld 
like  Lightning,  and  every  Heart  would  be  melted  with 
Love  and  Sorrow  and  Gratitude  •,  and  all  the  Nations  of 
the  Earth  would  come,  and  fall  down  in  the  Duft  before 
ihe  Lord,  and  blefs  his  holy  Name,  and  devote  themfelves 
to  him  for  ever,  lamenting  in  the  Bitternefs  of  their  Hearts 
fhat  ever  they  did  break  away  from  their  Subjedlion  to  fuch 
.1  God.  And  were  Mankind  fenfible  of  their  finful,  guilty, 
jiidone  Kftate  by  LAW,  and  difpofed  to  juftify  the  Law 

and 


and dijlinguipjeci  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.   345 

and  condemn  themfelves  •,  and  were  they  fcnfiblc  of  the 
HoUnefs  and  Juftice  of  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  ; 
they  would  foon  fee  theirNeed  of  fuch  a  Mediator  as  Chrift 
Jefus,  and  foon  fee  the  wonderful  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  and 
foon  fee  the  Glory  of  this  Way  of  Salvation,  and  fo  know 
it  to  be  from  God,  believe  it,  and  fall  in  with  it,  and  all 
the  World  would  repent  and  convert  of  their  own  Accord, 
and  fo  all  the  World  might  be  faved  without  any  more  to 
do. But  inllead  of  this,  fuch  is  the  Temper  of  Man- 
kind, that  there  is  not  one  in  the  World,  that,  of  his  own 
Accord,  is  difpofed  to  have  any  fuch  Regard  to  God,  or 
Sorrow  for  his  Apoftacy,  or  Inclination  to  repent  and  re* 
turn  ;  nor  do  Men  once  imagine,  that  they  are  in  an  Eftate 
fo  wretched  and  undone,  and  (land  in  fuch  a  perilhing  Need 
of  Chrift  and  free  Grace  ♦,  and  therefore  they  are  ready  to 
make  light  of  the  glad  Tidings  of  the  Gofpel,  and  go  their 
Ways,  one  to  his  Farm,  another  to  his  Merchandife  :  nor 
is  there  one  of  all  the  human  Race  difpofed,  of  his  own 
Accord,  to  lay  down  the  Weapons  of  his  Rebellion,  and 
return  to  God  by  Jefus  Chrift.  So  that  all  will  come  to 
nothing,  and  not  one  be  ever  brought  home  to  God,  unlefs 
fomething  farther  be  done  ;  unlefs  forne  Methods,  and  Me- 
thods very  cffedtual,  be  ufed. 

But  that  God  fhould  come  out  after  fuch  an  apoftate 
Race,  who  without  any  Grounds  have  turned  Enemies  to 
him,  and  without  any  Reafon  refufe  to  be  reconciled,  and 
that  after  all  the  glorious  Provifion  and  kind  Invitations  of 
the  Gofpel  \  that  God,  I  fay,  fhould  come  out  after  fuch, 
and  reclaim  them  by  his  own  fovereign  and  All -conquering 
Grace ;  might  feem  to  be  a  going  counter  to  theHolinefs  and 
Juftice  of  his  Nature,  and  to  tend  to  expofe  his  Law  and 
Government  &  facred  Authority  to  Contempt ;  in  as  much 
as  they  fo  eminently  deferve  to  be  confumed  by  the  Fire  of 
his  Wrath.  TTherefore 

(2.)  Jefus  Chrift  did,  hy  bis  Obedience  and  Death,  open  fuch 
a  Door  of  Mercy,  as  that  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World 
might,  confiftently  with  his  Honour,  take  what  Methods  he 
pleafed,  in  order  to  recover  rebellious,  guilty,  ftubborn  Sinners 
to  himfelf 

That 


34^         True  Religion  deli?ieated      Dis.  IL 

That  he  might  take  what  Methods  he  pleafed,  I  fay ;  for 
he  knew  from  the  Days  of  Eternity,  how  Mankind  would 
be  difpofed  to  treat  him,  his  Son,  and  his  Grace  ;  and  he 
knew  from  Eternity,  wliat  Methods  he  intended  to  take  to 
reclaim  them  :  and  thefe  ar^  the  Methods  which  he  now 
pleafes  to  take  •,  and  the  Nlethods,  yea,  the  only  Methods, 
which  he  actually  does  take.  So  that  it  is  the  fame  Thing 
in  Effe6l  to  fay,  that  by  what  Chrift  has  done  and  fuffered, 
a  Door  is  opened,  for  the  MOST  HIGH,  confiflently  with 
his  Honour,  to  take  —  i .  What  Methods  he  a^ually 
does  take.  Or —  2.  What  Methods  he  pleafes.  Or 
—  3.  What  Methods  he  from  Eternity  intended.  For 
all  amount  to  juft  one  and  the  fame  Thing.  For  what 
pleafed  him  from  Eternity,  the  fame  pleales  him  now  ; 
and  what  pleafes  him  now,  that  he  adlually  does.  The 
infinite  Perfedion  of  his  Nature  does  not  admit  of  any 
new  Apprehenfion,  or  Alteration  of  Judgmerit.  By  his  in- 
iiniteUnderftanding,  he  always  had,  and  has,  and  v/ill  have, 
a  compleat  View  of  all  Things  pafr,  prefent,  and  to  come, 
at  once.  And  by  his  infinite  Wifdom  and  the  perfedl  Rec- 
titude of  his  Nature,  he  unchangeably  fees  and  determines 
upon  that  Conduct  which  is  right  and  fit  and  bed.  For 
with  him  there  is  no  Variablenefs,  nor  Shadow  of 'Turning, 
Jam.  I.  17. 

Now,  that  what  Chrill  has  done  and  fuffered,  was  fuffi- 
cient  to  open  a  Way  for  the  honourable  Exercife  of  his  fo- 
vereign  Grace,  in  recovering  Sinners  to  himfelf,  is 'evident 
from  what  has  been  heretofore  obferved.  And  that  it  was 
deftgned  for  this  End,  and  has  inFa6l  effedually  anfwercd  it, 
is  plain  fromGod'sCondud  in  theAffair.  For  otherwife  he 
could  not,  confiftent  with  his  Honour  or  the  Honour  of  his 
Law,  ufe  thofe  Means  to  reclaim  Sinners  which  he  adlually 
does.  For  all  thofeMethods  of  Grace  would  elfe  be  contrary 
toL  AW,which  does  not  allow  theSinner  to  have  anyFavour 
fhewn  him  without  a  fufficientSecurity  to  thedivineHonour, 
as  has  been  before  proved.  ThcLaw  therefore  has  been  fa- 
tisfied  in  this  Refpedl,  or  thefe  Favours  could  not  be  fhewn. 
For  Heaven  and  Eartli  fhall  fooner  pafs  away,  than  theLaw 
be  difregarded  in  any  one  Point.  It  follows  therefore,  that 
not  only  fpecial  and  faving  Grace,but  alfo  that  all  the  com- 
mon 


a7^d  diJiinguiJJjedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  3  47 

mon  Favours  which  Mankind  in  general  enjoy,  and  that  all 
the  Means  of  Grace  which  are  common  to  the  Eledl  and 
Non-Elea,  are  the  Effeds  of  Chrift's  Merits  :  All  were 
purchafed  by  him  -,  none  of  thefe  Things  could  have  been 
^ranted  to  Mankind,  but  for  him.  Chrift  has  opened  the 
Door,  and  an  infinite  fovereign  Goodnefs  has  ftrewed  thefe 
common  Mercies  round  the  World.  All  thofe  Particulars 
wherein  Mankind  are  treated  better  than  the  damned  in 
Hell  are  over  and  above  what  mere  LAW  would  allow  of, 
and  therefore  are  the  Effects  of  Chrift'sMerits  and  Gofpel- 
G  race.  And  for  this,  among  other  Reafons,  Chrifl  is  called 
the  Saviour  of  the  World.  And  hence  alfo  God  is  faid  to  be 
reconciling  the  World  to  himfelf,  not  imputing  their 'Trefpajjes 
unto  them,  2  Cor.  5.  19.  Becaufe  for  the  prefent  their  Pu- 
niiliment  is  fufpendcd,  and  they  are  treated  in  a  Way  of 
Mercy,  are  invited  to  Repentance,  and  have  the  Offers  of 
Pardon  and  Peace  and  eternal  Life  made  unto  them. 
Hence,  I  fay,  God  is  faid  not  to  impute  their  Sins  unto  them  : 
Agreeable  with  that  parallel  Place  in  Pfal.  78.  38.  where 
God  is  faid  to  forgive  the  Iniquity  of  his  People,  becaufe  he 
deftroyed  them  not. 

Upon  the  whole  then,  this  feems  to  be  the  true  State  of 
the  Cafe.  God  is  thro'  Chrifl  ready  to  be  reconciled  to  all 
and  every  one,  that  v/ill  repent  and  return  unto  him  thro' 
Jefus  Chrifl.  He  fends  the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace 
around  a  guilty  World  and  invites  every  one  to  come,  fay- 
ino-,  He  that  believeth,  fhall  be  faved  -,  and  he  that  believeth 
noilfhalihe  damned.  And  on  this  Account  it  is  faid,  that 
He  will  have  all  Men  to  be  faved,  and  is  not  willing  that 
any  fhould perifh  :  becaufe  he  offers  Salvation  to  all,and  ufes 
Arguments  to  diffuade  them  from  Perdition.—  But  in  as 
much  as  Mankind  will  not  hearken,  but  are  obflinately  fet 
in  their  Way  ;  therefore  he  takes  State  upon  himfelf,  and 
fays,  /  will  have  Mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  Mercy.  And  a 
finful,  guilty  World  are  in  his  Hands,  and  he  may  ufe  what 
Methods  of  Grace  with  all  that  he  pleafes  :  Some,  he  may 
fuffer  to  take  their  own  Way,  and  run  their  own  Ruin,  if 
he  pleafes  •,  and  others,  he  may  fubdue  and  recover  to  him- 
felf, by  his  own  all-conquering  Grace. 

And  unto  a  certain  Number,  from  Eternity,  he  intended 

to 


348  True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

to  lliew  this  fpecial  Mercy.  And  thefe  are  faid  to  he  given 
to  Chrifi,  Joh.  6.  '^j.  And  with  a  fpecial  Eye  to  thefe 
Sheep  did  he  lay  down  his  Life^  Joh.  10.  15.  His  Fa- 
ther intending,  and  he  intending,  that  they,  in  Spight  of 
all  Oppofition,  fhould  be  brought  to  eternal  Life  at  lafl. 
And  hence  the  Ele^  do  always  obtain.  Rom.  1 1.7.  compared 
with  Jch.  6.  '^y. — And  here  we  may  learn  how  to  under- 
ftand  thofe  Places  of  Scripture,  which  feem  to  limitChrifl's 
Undertaking  to  a  certain  Number.  Mat.  i .  2 1 .  Thou /halt 
call  hisNcime  Jefus  ;  beccufe  hejioallfave  HIS  F EOF LE from 
their  Sins,  Eph.  5.  23.  He  is  the  Head  of  the  CHURCH  -, 
and  he  is  the  Saviour  cf  the  BODT.  Ver.  25.  Chrijl  loved 
the  CHURCH,  and  ^ave  himfelf  FOR  IT,  Adt.  20.  28. 
He  hath  pirchafcd  HIS  CHURCH  with  his  own  Blood, 
Joh.  10.  15.  I  lay  down  my  Life  for  the  SHEER, —  There 
were  a  certain  Number,which  the  Father  and  the  Son  from 
all  Eternity  dehgned  for  Veffels  cf  Mercy,,  to  bring  to  Glor)s 
Rom,  9.  23.  With  a  View  to  thefe  it  was  promifed  in  the 
Covenant  cf  R^edempion,  that  Chrift  fhould  y?^  of  the  Travel 
of  his  Scul,  Ifai.  53.11.  And  Chrift  faysin  Joh.6.37,38,39. 
All  that  theFather  giveth  jne^fhall  come  to  me  •,  and  him  that 
Cometh  to  me,,  I  will  in  no  wife  caft  out.  For  1  came  down 
from  Heaven^  not  to  do  my  own  Will ;  hut  the  Will  of  him 
that  fent  me.  And  this  is  the  Father's  Will,  which  hath  fent 
me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  floould  lofe  nothing.^ 
hut  fhould  raife  it  up  again  at  the  lafi  Day.  See  alfo JT//. 
2.  14.  Rev.  5.  9,  10.  Eph,  I.  4,  5,  6. 

Thus  Chrift's  Merits  are  fufficient  for  all  the  World,  and 
the  Door  of  Mercy  is  opened  wide  enough  for  all  the 
World,  and  God  the  fupreme  Governour  has  proclaimed 
himfelf  reconcilable  to  all  the  World,  if  they  will  believe 
and  repent.  And  if  they  will  not  believe  and  repent,  he  is 
at  Liberty  to  have  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  Mercy, 
and  to  fhew  Compaflion  to  whom  he  will  lliew  Compaflion ; 
according^to  the  good  Pleafure  of  his  Will,  to  the  Praife  of 
the  Glory  of  his  Grace.  He  fits  SOVEREIGN,  and  a 
rebellious,  guilty  World  are  in  his  Hands,  and  at  his  Di^ 
pofe,  and  the  Thing  that  feems  good  in  his  Sight,  that  he 
will  do.  And  it  is  infinitely  fit,  right,  and  beft  he  Ihould  ; 
that  the  Pride  of  all  Flefli  may  be  brought  low,  &;  the  Lord 
alone  be  exalted  for  ever.  And 


and  dijlingtiijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  349 

And  as  this  View  of  Things  feems  cxa6lly  to  harmonize 
with  the  whole  Tenor  of  the  Gofpel  in  general^  and  to 
agree  with  the  various  'particular  Reprefentations  of  our 
Redemption  by  Chrift  •,  and  to  reconcile  thofeTexts  which 
feem  to  fpeak  of  a  umz-erfal  Redemption^  with  thofe  which 
feem  to  fpeak  oi?^ particular  Redemption  ;  fo  it  will  naturally 
fuggeft  an  eafy  Anfwer  to  any  Ohje^lions  which  may  be 
made  againft  it. 

Ob  J.  I.  If  Chrijl  has  fuffcred  the  Penalty  of  the  Law^  not 
only  for  the  Ele^^  but  alfo  for  the  No?i-Eleif  ;  how  can  it  he 
juft,  that  they  t henif elves  fhould  be  made  to  fuffer  it  over  again 
for  ever  in  Hell  ? 

Ans.  Becaufe  Chrift  did  not  die  with  aDefign  to  releafe 
them  from  their  deferved  Punifhment,  but  only  upon 
Condition  of  Faith.  And  lb  they  have  no  Right  to  the 
Releafe,  but  upon  that  Condition.  'Tis  as  juft  therefore 
they  fhould  be  puniHied,  as  if  Chrift  had  never  died ; 
fmce  they  continue  obftinate  to  the  laft.  And  'tis  juft  too 
they  fhould  have  an  aggravated  Damnation^fcr  refufingto 
return  to  God,  defpifing  the  Offers  of  Mercy,  and  neglect- 
ing fo  great  Salvation.  John.  16 — 19. 

Ob  J.  2.  If  Chrifi  obeyed  the  preceptive  Part  of  the  Law  ^  7tot 
only  for  the  Eletl^  but  alfo  for  the  Non-Ele5i  -^  why  are  not 
all  brought  to  eternal  Life^  fince  eternal  Life  is  by  Law  pro- 
mifed  to  perfect  Obedience  ? 

Ans.  Becaufe  Chrift  did  not  purchafe  eternal  Life  for 
them,  but  upon  the  Condition  of  Faith  :  But  they  would 
not  come  to  Chrift,  that  they  might  have  Life  :  and  there- 
fore they  juftlyperifti.  Joh.  3.  16 — 19. 

Ob  J .  3 .  But  for  what  Purpofe  did  Chrifi  die  for  thofe  .^  who 
were  in  Hell  a  long  lime  before  his  Death  ? 

Ans.  And  to  what  Purpofe  did  he  die  for  thofe,  who 
were  in  Heaven  a  longTime  before  his  Death  P  The  Truth 
is,  that  when  Chrift  laid  down  his  Life,  a  Ranfom  for  all, 
he  only  accomplifhed  what  he  undertook  at  the  Beginning. 
Chrift  adlually  interpofed  as  Mediator  immediately  upon 
the  Fall  of  Man,  and  undertook  to  fecure  the  divine  Ho- 
nour by  obeying  and  fuftering  in  the  Room  of  a  guilty 
World  :  and  therefore  thro'  him  God  did  offer  Mercy  to 

Cain 


350  True  Religmt  delineated      Dis.  IL 

Cain  as  well  as  to  Abel^  and  fhew  common  Favours  to  the 
World  in  general,  as  well  as  grant  fpecial  Grace  to  the  E- 
led  ;  and  that  before  his  Death,  as  well  as  fnice.  Surely 
none  will  deny,  that  all  the  Favours  which  iMankind  did 
enjoy  prior  to  ChrilVs  Death,  were  by  Virtue  of  his  Under- 
taking to  be  Mediator,  and  engaging  to  fecure  the  divine 
Honour  \  for  upon  any  other  Foot,  the  Governour  of  the 
World  could  not  have  granted  fuch  Favours  confiflentiy 
with  his  Honour. 

Ob  J.  4.  But  if  Chrift  died  for  ally  then  he  died  in  vain, 
fince  all  are  7iot  faved. 

Ans.  The  next  and  immediate  End  of  Chrift's  Death 
was  to  anfwer  the  Ends  of  moral  Government,  and  fo  fecure 
the  Honour  of  the  moral  Governour,  and  open  a  Way  in 
which  he  might  honourably  declare  himfelf  reconcilable  to 
a  guilty  World  upon  their  returning  thro'  Chrift,  and  ufe 
Means  to  reclaim  them  ;  but  this  End  Chrift  did  obtain  : 
and  fo  did  not  die  in  vain.  Joh,  3.  16.  Rom.  3.  24,  25,  26. 
And  the  fupreme  Governour  of  the  World  will  now  thro' 
Chrift  accompiifli  all  the  Defigns  of  his  Heart,  to  the  ever- 
lafting  Honour  of  his  great  Name. 

Ob  J.  5.  But  wloy  would  God  have  a  Door  opened^  that  he 
mighty  confiftent  with  his  Honour,  offer  to  he  reconciled  to  all 
that  will  return  to  him  thro"  Chrift,  when  he  knew  that  the 
Non-Ele£i  would  never  return  ?  And  why  would  he  have  aDoor 
opened  that  he  might  ufe  Means  with  them,  when  he  knew,  all 
would  be  in  vain,  unlefs  he  himfelf  recovered  them  by  his  All- 
conquering  Grace,  which  yet  he  never  defigned  to  do  ? 

Ans.  God  defigned  to  put  an  apoftate  World  into  a 
new  State  of  Probation.  Mankind  were  in  a  State  of  Pro- 
bation in  Adam  their  publick  Head,  and  we  all  finned  in 
him  and  fell  with  him  in  his  firft  TranfgrelTion.  But  God 
defigned  to  try  the  Pofterity  of  Adam  anew,  and  fee  whether 
they  would  be  forry  for  their  Apoftacy,  or  choofe  to  conti- 
nue in  their  Rebellion.  He  would  tender  Mercy,  and  offer 
to  be  reconciled,  and  call  them  to  return,  and  ufe  Arguments 
and  Motives,  and  promife  and  threaten ;  and  try  and  fee 
what  they  would  do.  He  knew,Mankind  would  be  ready 
to  deny  their  Apoftacy,  and  plead  that  they  were  not  Ene- 
mies to  God,   and  think  themfelves  very  good  natured ; 

and 


and  dijlingntped  from  all  Cou?tterfeits.  351 

and  would  take  it  exceeding  hard  not  to  be  believed  : 
therefore  he  determined  to  try  them,  and  fee  what  they 
would  do  •,  and  make  publick  Declaration  thro'  the  World 
that  finally  he  would  judge  every  Man  according  to  his 
Works,  and  deal  with  them  according  to  their  Condudt. 
And  in  the  mean  Time,  that  his  Honour  might  be  fecured, 
he  appoints  his  Son  to  be  Mediator  ;  and  fo  thro'  him  pro- 
claims the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace,and  enters  upon  the 
ufe  of  Means.  And  nov7,  if  you  afk  me,  "  Why  does  he 
"  do  all  this,  when  he  knows,  it  will  be  in  vain  as  to  the 
"  Non-EleEt^  who  will  never  come  to  Repentance  ?" 

/  Anfwer^  His  knowing  that  all  will  in  the  Event  prove 
ineffedual  to  bring  them  to  Repentance,  is  no  Obje6tion 
agamft  his  ufing  the  Means  he  does.  For  God  does  not 
make  hisForeknowledge  of  Events  theRuleof  hisCondudt; 

but  the  Reafon  &  Fitnefs  of  Hiings. You  may  as  well 

inquire,  "  Why  did  God  raife  up  Noah  to  be  a  Preacher 
'•'■  of  Right  CQuf lief 5  to  the  old  World  for  the  Space  of  an 
"  Hundred  and  twenty  Years,  when  he  knew  they  would 
"  never  come  to  Repentance  }  And  why  did  he  fend  all 
"his  Servants  the  Prophets  to  the  Children  of  Ifrael^  n- 
"  fing  early  and  fending,  and  by  them  command  &  call, 
"  entreat  and  expoftulate,  promife  and  threaten,  and  fay, 
^^  As  1  live^  faith  the  Lord  God,  I  delight  not  in  the  Death  of 
"  the  Sinner  :  turn  ye^  turn  ye^  why  will  ye  die!  when  he 
"  knew,  they  would  never  come  to  Repentance  ?  And 
'*  why  did  he  afterwards  fend  his  Son  to  the  fame  obftinate 
"  People,  when  he  knew  they  would  be  fo  far  from  hear- 
"  kening,  as  that  they  would  rather  put  him  to  Death  V* 
Now,  if  you  af!<  me,  why  the  great  Governour  of  the 
World  ufes  fuch  Means  with  the  Non-Ele6l,  and  fhews  fo 
much  Goodnefs,  Patience,  Forbearance  and  Long-fuffering, 
inflead  of  fending  all  immediately  to  ciefervedDeflrudlion  ? 

/  Anfwer^  it  is  to  try  them  ;  and  to  fhew,  that  he  is  the 
Lord  God^  gracious  and  merciful^  flow  to  Anger  and  abundant 
in  Goodnefs.  *Tis  fit.  Creatures  in  a  State  of  Probation 
ihould  be  tried,  and  he  loves  to  a6l  like  himfelf  -,  and  he 
means  in  and  by  his  Condud  to  do  both  at  once.  And 
after  obftinate  Sinners  have  long  abufed  that  Goodnefs  and 
Forbearance^  Y/h'ich  Jbould  have  led  them  to  Repentance  ;  and 

have 


352        True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

have  after  their  c-zvn  hard  and  mpenitent  Hearts^  been  trea- 
furing  up  Wrath  again  ft  the  Bay  cf  IVrath^  the  Righteoui- 
nefs  of  God's  Judgment  in  their  eternal  Deftrudion  will  be 
mod  manifefb.  And  what  if  God  was  determined  not  to 
rcclaimRebels  vokintarily  fo  obllinate,  by  his  All-conquer- 
ing Grace,  but  let  them  take  their  Courfc,  feeing  they 
were  fo  fet  in  their  Way  ?  What  then  ?  Vv\is  he  not  at 
Liberty  ?  Was  he  bound  to  fave  them  all  by  Exertion  of 
his  Almightinefs  ?  Might  he  not  have  Mercy  on  whord  he 
would  ?  And  zher  fuch  Long-fuffering^  might  he  notyZ^f're; 
his  Wrath  and  make  his  Pcujer  known  in  the  eternal  De- 
llrudion  of  thofe  who  fo  juftly  defer ved  it  ?  God's  lafh 
End,  no  Doubt,  is  to  manifefl  his  Perfeciions  :  and  in  and 
by  his  whole  Condu6l  towards  a  fallen  World,  they  will 
all  be  moft  illuftrioully  difplayed.  Ro7n.  ii.  1,6. 

Ob  J.  6.  But  ccnfidering  that  theNon-Ele^  are^after  all^un- 
der  an  abfcluie  Impoffibility  to  believe  and  repent  ^convert  and  be 
faved  ;  and  confidering  that  all  common  Mercies  and  Means  of 
Grace  will  only  render  them  the  more  inexcufable  in  the  Endy 
and  fo  aggravate  their  Guilt  and  Damnation  :  therefore  all 
things  conjidered^  what  feeming  Good  they  enjoy  in  this  Worlds 
is  not  of  the  Nature  of  a  MERCl^:  it  would  be  better  for  them 
to  be  without  it  :  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  will  be  better  of  it 
in  the  Day  of  Judgment  than  Chorazin  and  Bethfaida  :  * 
and  therefore  there  is  no  Need  to  fuppofe^  that  any  Thing  which 
the  Non-Ele^  enjoy  in  this  Worlds  is  the  Effe^  of  Chrifi's 
Merits^  but  only  of  divine  Sovereignty. 

Ans.  What  do  you  mean  by  being  under  anabfolute  Im- 
poffibility to  believe  and  repent ^  convert  &  be  faved  ?  Ufing 
Words  without  determinate  Ideas  is  one  principal  Thing 
which  bewilders  theWorld  aboutMatters  of  Religion.  Now 

will 

*  It  may  be  proper  juft  to  hint  the  grofs  Abfurditles  implied  in  this 
ObjeiUon.-— if  the  Non-Eledl  were  under  an  abfolute  (/.  e.  not  only 
a  moral,  but  natural)  Impoffibility  to  turn  to  God,  they  would  not  be 
proper  Subjects  to  ufe  any  Means  with.     And   if  their  common  Fa- 

-  vours  and  Means  of  Grace  were  not  of  the  Nature  of  Mercies,  they 
could  not  aggravate  their  Guilt.  And  if  it  was  not  their  own  Fault, 
that  they  did  not  repent  under  t!  e  Enjoyment  of  Means,  they  would 
rot  be  to  Blame,  nor  deferve  to  be  punilhed,  for  not  repenting.  — 
Men  Humble  into  fuchAbfurdiaes  by  ufingWords  without  detefminatc 
"Ideas. 


and  dijlingiitjhed from  aUCcimterfeits.  353 

in  phinEngliJh^all  Things  are  ready^  and  they  are  invited  to 
come^  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  Way  of  their  being  faved ; 
but — they  be  not  rony  for  their  Apoftacy  from  God,  nor 
will  be  brought  to  it  by  all  the  Means  God  ufes  with  them : 
they  have  not  a  Mind  to  return  to  God,  nor  will  they  be 
perfwaded  by  all  the  mod  powerful  Arguments  that  can  be 
ufed  :  they  are  voluntary  Enemies  to  God,  and  will  not  be 
reconciled,  unlefs  by  an  almighty  Power  and  All-conquer- 
ing Grace,  w^hich  God  is  not  obliged  to  give,  and  they  are 
inrinitely  unworthy  of,  and  without  which,  they  might  re- 
turn, were  they  but  of  fuch  a  Temper  as  they  ought  to  be  : 
they  are  under  no  Inability,  but  what  confifts  in  and  re- 
fults  from  their  want  of  a  good  Temper  of  Mind,  and  their 
voluntary  Obftinacy  :  Sin  has  no  Power  over  Men,  but  as 
they  are  inclined  to  it  j  and  the  Inclinations  of  the  Heart 
arc  always  voluntary  and  unforced.  Men  love  to  be  in- 
clined as  they  are  ^  for  otherwife  their  Inclinations  would 
be  fo  far  from  having  any  Power  over  them,  that  they 
would  even  ceafe  to  be. — Now  certainly  the  bringing  up  of 
the  Children  of  Ifrael  out  of  Egypt  was  of  the  Nature  of 
a  Mercy^  and  ?i  great  Mercy  too  indeed  it  was,  notwithftand- 
ing  that  thro'  their  Unbelief  and  Perverfenefs  they  never 
got  to  Canaan,  The  Thing,  in  itfelf,  was  as  great  a  Mercy 
to  the  Body  of  that  Generation,  as  it  was  to  Caleb  &  Jojhua. 
And  their  bad  Temper  and  bad  Condud, which  prevented 
their  ever  coming  to  the  promifed  Land,  did  not  alter  the 
Nature  of  the  Thing  at  all,  nor  lefTen  their  Obligations  to 
Gratitude  to  God  their  mighty  Deliverer.  And  yet,  all 
Things  confidered,  it  had  been  better  for  them  to  have  died 
iti  their£^j^/i^;?Bondage,than  to  have  had  their  Carcafcsfall 
in  the  Wildernefs  in  fuch  an  awful  Manner. — And  befides, 
it  is  evidentjthat  the  Scriptures  do  look  upon  the  common 
Favours  and  Means  of  Grace,  which  the  Non-Ele6l  enjoy, 
under  the  Notion  of  Mercies  ;  and  (which  otherwife  could 
not  be)  on  this  very  Ground  their  Guilt  is  aggravated, and 
they  rendered  inexcufable,  and  worthy  of  a  more  fore  Pu- 
nifhment  in  the  World  to  come.  Joh.'^,i6 — 19.  And,  15, 
22,  24.  Rom,  2.  4,  5.  Heb,  2.  2,3.  —  And  if  they  are  of 
the  Nature  of  Mercies,  then  they  are  the  EfFedls  of  Chrift's 
Merits,  as  has  been  already  proved, 

A  a  And 


354         True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II. 

And  hence  by  the  Way,  we  may  fee  the  Reafon  why  the 
Love  and  Goodnefs  of  God  in  bringing  up  the  Children  of 
Ij'rael  out  of  E;iypt^  is  fo  mightily  fet  forth  in  the  oldTefta- 
ment,  notwithltanding  the  Body  of  that  Generation  perilh- 
cd  in  the  Wildernefs  :  and  why  the  Love  and  Goodnefs  of 
God  in  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  the  World,  is  fo  mightily 
let  forth  in  the  New-Teftament,  notwithftanding  Multi- 
tudcsof  Mankind  perifh  for  ever  :  viz.  It  was  the  Ifraelites 
ownFault,  they  perifhed  in  theWildernefs^and  fo  it  isSinncrs 
own  Fault  that  they  perifh  for  ever.  Job,  3.19.  and  5,  40. 
And  did  they  feel  it  at  Heart5it  would  eftedtually  flop  their 
Mouths.  For  this  is  an  undoubted  Maxim^  that  theKind- 
nefTes  of  God -to  a  rebellious  perverfe  World  are  not  in 
themfelves  e'er  the  lefs  Mercies^  becaufe  Mankind  abufe 
them  to  their  greater  Ruin.  The  Kindneffes  are  in  them- 
felves the  fame,  whether  we  make  a  good  Improvement  of 
them,  or  no.  They  are  juft  the  fame,  and  fo  juft  as  great, 
let  our  Condu6l  be  what  it  will.  It  was  a  great  Mercy  to 
the  Ifraelites  to  be  delivered  out  of  Egypt  •,  it  was  a  wonder- 
ful Expreffion  of  divine  Goodnefs  :  and  hence  'tis  faid  in 
Hof  1 1 .  I .  IVhen  Ifrael  was  a  Child^  then  I  LOVED  him^ 
end  called  my  Son  out  of  Egypt.  (And  a  like  Expreffion  we 
have  in  Deut.  10.  18.  God  LOFETH  the  Stranger^  in  giv- 
ing  him  Food  and  Raiment.)  And  on  the  fame  Ground  'tis 
faid  in  Joh.  3.  16.  Godfo  LOVED  the  World  ^c.  becaufe 
the  Gift  of  Chrift  to  die  for  the  World  was  an  infinite  Ex- 
preffion of  divineGoodnefs.  And  if  Mankind  do  generally 
abufe  this  Goodnefs,  as  the  Ifraelites  generally  did  all  God's 
KindnelTcs  to  them,  yet  flill  the  Goodnefs  itfelf  is  juft  the 
fame.  A  dreadful  Thing  therefore  it  is  for  the  Non-£lc6l, 
even  as  aggravated  a  Piece  of  Wickednefs  in  them  as  it 
would  be  in  any  Body  elfe,  to  tread  under  Foot  the  Blood 
of  the  Son  of  God,  and  make  light  of  all  the  Offers  of 
Mercy,  and  negled:  fo  great  Salvation.  And  this  above 
all  pther  Things  will  be  their  Condemnation  in  the  coming 
World.  Joh.  3.  19.  Never  are  the7^':£;j  at  all  excufed,  any 
-•^yhere  in  the  New-Teftament,  in  their  flighting  the  Offers 
of  Mercy  by  Chrift,  on  this  Account,  that  they  were  not 
of  the  Eleft.  And  indeed  the  Offers  were  fincerc,  and  it 
-'A'a>  innrely  their  own  Fault  that  they  did  not  accept,  and 

they 


and  dijltnguijhed  fro7n  all  Counterfeits.   355 

they   deferved    to   be    treated    accordingly  :    Mat,  22. 

Ob  J.  7.  But  ifGodfo  loved  the  World,  the  WHOLE 
WORLD,  as  to  give  his  on'y  begotten  Son  to  die  for  them,  in 
the  Senfe  explained  ;  why  does  he  not  go  thro\  and  perfe^f  the 
Work,  andfave  the  WHOLE  WORLD  ?  accordi?ig  to  that 
in  Rom.  8.32.  He  that  Ipared  not  his  own  Son,  but  deli- 
vered him  up  for  us  all,  how  Ihall  he  not  with  him  alfo 
freely  give  us  all  Things  ? 

Ans.  1.  And  why  did  not  the  King  in  Matth.  22.  wh<^ 
had  made  a  Marriage  for  his  Son,  and  fent  his  Servants  to 
fay  to  them  that  v/ere  bidden,  /  have  prepared  my  Dinner  -\ 
my  Oxen  and  my  Failings  are  killed,  and  all  things  are  ready : 
Come  unto  thejCfaniage :  Why  did  nottheKing,  I  fay,  when 
they  refufed,  Compel  them  to  come  in  ?  Since  he  had  done 
fo  much,  why  did  not  he  go  thro%  and  finiHi  the  Work  I 
And  this  is  diredly  to  the  Point  in  Fland,  becaufe  this  Pa- 
rable is  defigned  to  reprefent  that  full  Provifion  which  is 
made  for  the  Salvation  of  Sinners  by  the  Death  of  Chrift ; 
and  it  proves  that  the  Objedlion  has  no  Force  in  it. 
But  farther, 

2.  Take  your  Bible  and  read  from  the  28  th  Verfe  to 
the  end  of  that  8th  Chapter  cf  Romans,  and  you  will  fee 
what  the  Apoftle's  Defign  is,  thro'  his  whole  Difcourfe. 
«=  We  know,"  fays  he,  "  that  all  Things  work  together 
"  for  Good  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  called 
"  according  to  his  Purpofe.  But  how  do  v/e  know  it  ? 
"  Why,  becaufe  God  is  fully  determined  to  bring  them  to 
"  Glory  at  laft.  For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  alfo  did 
"  predeftinate  •,  and  v/Jiom  he  did  predeftinate,  them  he 
"  alfo  called,  and  them  he  juftified,  and  them  he  glorified. 
"  And  God  was  fo  fully  determined  to  brmg  them  to 
"  Glory,  and  fo  much  engaged  in  the  Thing,  that  he 
"  fpared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all ; 
"  i.e.  US,  who  love  God  and  are  his  eledlPeople."  CFor  it 
is  of  thefe  and  thefeonly  that  he  here  is  fpeaking.)  "  And 
"  fmce  he  was  fo  much  engaged  as  to  do  this,  we  may  de- 
"  pend  upon  it  that  he  will  alfo  freely  give  us  all  Things  ;, 
"  i.  e.  US,  who  love  God  and  are  his  eledt  People.  So 
**  that  never  any  Thing  fliall  hinder  our  being  finally 

A  a  2  "  brought 


356        iCrtte  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

*•  brought  to  Glory,  or  feparate  us  from  the  Love  of  God, 
*'  neither  Tribulation,  nor  Perfecution,  nor  Diflrefs,  nor 
*'  any  Thing  clfe."  So  that  this  is  theApoflle'sArgument : 
SinceGod  was  fo  much  engaged  to  bring  them  toGlory  who 
loved  God  and  were  his  oXtdi  People,  as  that  he  had  given 
his  own  Son  to  die  for  that  End  \  they  therefore  might  have 
the  flrongeft  Afiurance,  that  he  would  do  every  Thing  elfc 
which  would  be  needful  effe6lually  to  bring  it  about.  * 

But  God  never  defigned  to  bring  the  Non-Eled  to  Glory, 
when  he  gave  his  Son  to  die  for  the  World.  He  defigned 
to  declare  himfelf  reconcilable  to  them  thro'  Chrifl,to  offer 
Mercy,  to  invite  them  in  common  with  others  to  return, 
and  to  afTure  all  that  he  that  helieveth  Jhall  he  faved^  and  to 
ufe  Means  with  them  more  or  lefs  accordmg  to  his  Plea- 
fure  ;  but  finally,  they  being  obllinate,  he  defigned  to 
leave  them  to  themfelves,  to  take  their  own  Courfe  •,  and  in 
the  End  to  deal  with  them  according  to  their  Deferts.  Mat. 
23-  37»  3S.  and  22.  i — 7.  And  this  being  the  Cafe,  the 
Objection  from  the  ApoMe's  Words  is  evidently  groundlefs. 

As  to  the  Opinion  of  the  Arminians^  that  God  equally 
defigned  Salvation  for  all  Men,  purpofing  to  offer  Salvation 
to  all,  and  ufe  Means  with  all,  and  leave  all  to  their  own 
Free-Will,  and  fave  thofe  and  thole  oniy,who  of  their  own 
Accord  will  beconie  good  Men  \  as  for  this  Opinion,  I  fay, 
I  think  they  never  learnt  it  from  the  Bible  :  But  rather, 
they  feem  to  have  been  led  into  it,  from  a  Notion  that 
Mankind  are  fo  good  natured,  that  all  might,  and  that  at 
leail  feme  actually  would,  under  the  Enjoyment  of  the 
common  Means  of  Grace,  become  good  Men,  of  their  own 
Accord,  i.  e.  without  any  fuch  lliing  as  fpedal  Grace. 
Convince  them  that  this  is  an  Error,  and  they  will  foon 

g've 

*  If  we  leave  God's  Deftgn  out  of  the  Apoftle's  Argument,  I  cannot 
fee  that  his  Reafoning  would  be  conclufive  ;  any  more  than  a  like 
Argument  would  have  been  conclufive,  if  we  fhould  fuppofe  Mofes 
to  have  ufed  it  with  the  IirocUtes  at  the  Side  of  the  red  Sea.  "  Since 
"  God  has  now  brought  you  all  out  of  Bgyp,  and  thus  divided  the 
"  7cd Sea  before  you,  and  drowned  your, Enemies  ;  therefore  he  will 
.  '*now-  without  fail  bring  you  All  to  the  promifcd  Land."  Which  Re:- 
Toning  would  not  have  been  conclufive  ;  for  the  Body  of  that  Gene- 
ration died  in  the-'Wildernefs,  and  that  in  a  very  awful  Manner,  noc- 
>.'i:brtandin2  this  silorioiis  I)?i;vei-3ncc, 


and  diliinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  357 

crive  up  their  Scheme,  and  acknowledge  the  Need  of  fove- 
fei<^n  Grace,  and  fee  the  Reafonablencfs  and  Truth  of  the 
Dodrme  of  Ekaion. Or  rather,  I  may  fay,  con- 
vince them  firft  of  all,  what  God  is,  and  what  the  Law  is, 
and  what  the  Nature  of  true  Religion  is  -,  that  they  may 
know,  what  Converfion  means,  and  what  it  means  to  be  a 
good  Man  :  and  there  will  be  no  Difficulty  then  to  con- 
vince them  of  theDepravity  of  Mankind.     For  what  leads 
them  to  think  it  fo  eafy  a  Thing  to  become  a  good  Man, 
and  that  Men  may  be  brought  to  it  merely  by  the  force  ot 
moral  Suafion,  is,  their  wrong  Idea  of  the  Nature  of  true 
Religion.     If  Religion  be  what  they  fuppofe,  then  no 
Doubt  any  Body  may  eafily  become  good,    for  corrupt 
Nature  can  bear  with  fuch  aReligion.     But  if  Religion, or 
a  Conformity  to  God'sLaw,  be,  what  I  have  endeavoured  to 
prove  it  to  be  in  the  former  Difcourfe,  then  no  Doubt  Man- 
kind are  naturally  diametrically   oppofite  thereto  in    the 
Temper  of  their  Minds  :  even  all  Mankind,  Arminians  as 
well  as  others.     And  all  do,  or  might  know  it,  if  they 
would  feriouQy  and  honeftly  weigh  the  Matter  -,   for  it  is 
plain  Fad.     The  Arminians  are  wont  mightily  to  cry  up 
■Works,and  plead  for  the  moral  Law,   as  tho'  they  were 
oreat  Friends  to  it :  but  if  their  Miftakes  about  the  moral 
Law  might  once  be  rediEed,  and  they  be  brought  really 
and  heartily  to  approve  it,  as  holyjuft  and  good  •,  one  prin- 
cipal Source  of  all  their  Errors  would  be  dried  up  :     and 
particularly,  their  wrong  Notions  about  Ele5iion  and  uni-^ 
verfal Redemption.  ^r-  c, 

«  But  where  was  there  any  Love,"  Cwill  the  Objeaor 
«  fayj  inGod's  giving  his  Son  to  die  for  the  Non-EledjOr 
"  Sincerity  in  his  offering  themMercy  -,  if  he  never  defigned 
"  to  bring  them  to  Glory,  but  from  Eternity  intended  t* 
^'  leave  them  to  perifh  in  th^ir  Sins  ?" 

And  where  was  there  any  Love  ( I  anfwer )  in  God  s 
bringing  the  Ifraelites  out  oi  Egypt,  or  Sincerity  in  his  offer- 
ing  to  bring  them  to  Canaan  •,  if  he  never  defigned  even- 
tually to  bring  them  there,  but  from  Eternity  intended  to 
leave  them  to  murmuii  and  rebel,  and  to  have  their  Car- 
cafes  fall  in  the  Wildernefs  f  —The  Solution  in  both  Caies 
i§  the  fame,  i^nd  is  pUinly  this  s  as  it  wa§  the  Ifraelites  o^\n 

A  4  3  F^^^^^^ 


358       True  Religion  delineated        D  i  s .  II. 

Fault  that  they  did  not  come  to  Canaan  at  lad,  fo  it  is  the 
Sinner's  own  Fault  that  he  finally  falls  fliort  of  Glory  : 
However,  the  Ifraelites  were  often  in  a  Rage,  and  ready  to 
fay,  ^hc  Lord  hath  hr ought  us  into  the  Wildernefs  to  kill  us 
bere^  and  they  murmured  againft  God  and  againft  Mofes^ 
for  which  they  were  ftruck  dead  byHundreds&Thoufands  : 
and  juft  fo  Sinners  do,  and  the  fame  Punifhment  do  they 
deferve.  But  had  the  Ifraelites  felt  at  Heart,  that  it  was 
their  own  voluntary  Wickednefs  which  was  xhtfole  Caufe 
of  their  Ruin,  and  did  Sinners  feel  it  at  Heart  too,  there 
would  be  no  murm.uring  in  one  Cafe  or  the  other,  but  every 
Mouth  would  be  flop'd.  But  I  have  fpoken  to  this  before. 
To  Conclude,  It  this  Reprefentation  of  Things  which 
I  have  given,  be  according  to  Truth,  hence  then  we  may 
learn  thefe  two  Things,  which  indeed  were  what  I  had 
principally  in  View  in  dwelling  {o  long  upon  this  Subjed 
and  labouring  to  anfwerObje^lions  :  I  fayjwe  may  learn — 
I.  That  any  poor  Sinner,  all  the  World  over, who  hears  tlie 
Gofpel  &  believes  it,  has  lufHcicnt  Grounds  of  Encourage- 
ment, from  theFreenefs  of  God's  Grace  &  the  Sufficiency  of 
Chrift  and  the  univerfal  Calls  of  the  GofpeJ,  to  venture  his 
eternal  ALL  in  this  Way  of  Salvation,  and  may  fafely  re- 
turn to  God  thro'  Chrift  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance  :  And 
that  without  any  particular  Revelation,  that  he  is  ekofed  or 
that  Chrift  died  for  him  in  particular.  "  Any  may  come, 
'^  the  vileft  and  the  worft  j  and  therefore  I  may  come." 
And  therefore  fuch  a  particular  Revelation,  is  perfectly 
needlefs  :  Nor  could  it  do  anyGood  \  for  the  Truth  of  the 
Gofpel  may  be  depended  upon,  but  the  Truth  ot  fuch  a 
particular  Revelation  cannot. —  2.  That  any  poor,  hnful, 
guilty,  brv'jken-hearted  Backflider,  who  groans  under  the 
Burthen  of  Sin  as  the  greateft  Evil,  and  longs  to  have  the 
Power  of  Sin  taken  down,  and  his  Corruptions  flain,  and 
himfelf  thoro'ly  fubdued  to  God,  may  look  up  to  the  infi- 
nite fretjGrace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  pray,  "  Lord, 
"  take  away  this  Heart  of  Ston^,.  ^nd  give  nic  a  Heart  of 
"  Fleih:  Turn  me,  and  I  Ihall  b^  turned  :  Lord,  if  thou 
"'  wilr,  tliou  canft  make  me  clean  :  Q  create  in  me  a  clean 
'^  Hcfl.rt,  and  reaew  in  me  a  rigbi  Spirit,  and  rcftore  to  ms 
*'  the  JovoC  thy  Salvation !  T<SL^y  fqvq-eign  G/>\ce;,^a4 

fdf" 


and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  359 

«  felf-movingGoodnefs  I  apply  my  felf  thro'  JefusChrift  : 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  Sinner/'  And  that  whether  he 
knows  himfelf  to  be  a  Child  of  God,  or  no  :  and  fo  whether 
he  knows  that  he  belongs  to  theNumber  of  theElea:,or  not : 
Nor  does  he  need   any  particular  Revelation,  that  Chrift 
died  for  him  in  particular,  or  that  he  is  ele^ed,  or  that  he  is 
beloved  of  God  :  Nor  would  thefe  Things  do  any  Good  to 
clear  up  his  Warrant  to  come  forMercy  •,  becaufeGod  may 
thro'  Chrift  give  his  holy  Spirit  to  any  that  afk  him :  All 
that  are  athirft,  are  invited  to  come  and  take  of  the  Waters 
of  Life  freely.     "  Any   may  come,  and  therefore  I  may 
"  come,  altho'  the  vileft  Creature  in  the  World."—  And 
I  appeal  to  all  the  Generation  of  God's  Children,  whether 
this  has  not  been  their  Way  of  coming  toGod  thro'Chrift, 

ever  fince  the  Day  they  firft  came  to  know  the  Lord. 

Sure  I  am,  this  is  the  Scripture-Way.     God  has  fent  out  a 
Proclamation  thro' a  finful,  guilty  World,  mvitmg  all  to 
come  to  him  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  for  all  Things  :  and  given 
many  Encouragements,  by  reprefenting  how  free  his  Grace 
is   how  fufficient  Chrift  is,  and  how  faithful  his  Promifes, 
and  that  whofoever  will,  may  come,  &:c.  But  no  where  in 
all  the  Bible,  has  he  revealed  it,  that  fuch  and  fuch  in  par- 
ticular by  Name  among  Mankind  areeleded,  and  that  for 
thefe  Individuals  Chrift  died  in  particular,  by  Way  of  En- 
couragement to  thofe  particular  Perfons,    in  order  to  let 
them  know  that  they  might  fafely  truft  in  Chrift,and  come 
to  God  thro'  him.—  But  then  muft  we  be  right,  when  wc 
underftand  the  Gofpel  and  believe  it,  and  u^on  the  very  En- 
couragements which  God  has  given,  are  emboldened  to  return 
in  Hopes  of  Acceptance  :  And  this  muft  be  agreeable  to 
God's  Will :  And  to  this  muft  the  Influences  of  the  true 
Spirit  tend.     But  to  venture  to  return  and  look  to  God  for 
Mercy  merely  upon  any  other  Ground,   is  anti-fcriptural  : 
And  whatfoeverSpirit  influences  thereunto,  cannot  therefore 

be  from  God.  ^       ^    .  ,   , 

And  thus  we  fee  how  the  Door  of  Life  is  opened  by 
Chfift,  our  great  Mediator  and  high  Prieft.  And  hence, 
Chrift  calls  himfelf  the^or,  Joh.  10.  9.  lam  the  Door: 
By  me  if  any  Man  enter  in,  be  Jhall  be  faved.  And  hence  alio, 
he  galls  himfelf  th^  Way  to  the  Father.  Joh.  14.  6.  lam 

A  a  4  ^^^^ 


560        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

the  IVay^  the  'Truths  and  the  Life :  No  Man  cometh  to  theFa- 
thcr  but  by  me.  For  thro'  him  (faith  theApoftle,  Eph.2.i80 
we  both  have  an  Accefs  by  one  Spirit  u7Jto  the  Father.  And 
alio  thro'*  him  God  is  reconciling  the  World  to  himfelf  fending 
Ambajfadors  and  befeeching  them  to  be  reconciled.  2  Cor.  5. 
19,  20. —  Which  leads  me  to  the  next  Thing  projjofed. 

Section     VI. 

j4  View  of  the  Methods  of  divineGrace  with 
Mankind  from  the  Begi7i7ii?ig  oj  the  World. 

4.  I  am  to  Ihew  what  Methods  the  great  Governourof  the 
World  has  entered  upon^  in  Order  to  put  in  Execution  thofe 
Dejigns  of  Mercy ^  ivhich  he  had  in  View^when  he  contrived  to 
open  this  DOOR^  infuch  a  ^uoonderjul  and  glorious  Manner^  by 
the  Interpoftion  of  his  own  dear  Son. 

The  moft  high  God  is  confcious  of  his  own  infinite  Ex- 
cellency, his  Right  to,  and  his  Authority  over  theChildren 
of  Men  :  He  fees  Mankind  as  being  under  infiniteObiiga- 
tions  to  love  and  obey  him,  and  that  the  leall  Defedl  is  an 
infinite  Evil :  He  judges  theLaw  to  be  holy,  juft  and  good, 
and  Mankind  wholly  to  blame  for  their  Non-Conformity 
thereto,  and  worthy  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  it.  He 
knows  their  Contrariety  to  him,  to  his  Law,  and  to  his 
Cjofpel :  He  fees  all  thefe  Things  as  they  really  are. —  His 
infiniteWifdom  fees  how  it  is  fit  for  fuch  a  one  as  he  is,now 
thro*  a  Mediator,  to  condu6t  towards  fuch  aWorld  as  this 
is  :  He  fees  what  a  Condud  is  moft  becoming,  and,  ail 
I'hings  confidered,  moft  meet  and  fuitable  :  And  to  this 
Condudl,  the  perfect  Redlitude  of  his  Nature  prompts  and 
inclines  him. —  Upon  the  whole,  he  necelTarily  and  freely 
determines  to  a61:likehimfclf,/.f.  like  an  abfoluteSovercign, 
iniinitein  WifdomjHolincfs,  Juftice,  Goodnefs  &:Truth. — 
This  v/as  his  Dcnerminatipn-  from  Eternity,  this  is  his  De- 
teimination in  Time,  and  according  to  this  Rule  he  adlu- 
aily  proceeds,  in  all  his  Methods  with  a  finful,  guilty ,obfti- 
nace  World  ;  Working  ell  Things  according  to  the  Counfel  of 
bis  cji-n  WilL  Eph.  1 .  1 1 .  Sovereignly,  and  yet  wifely  ; 
holil/  and  juitly,  and  yet  ai  tts  Lord  Gad  gvacioiis  and  met'- 

ciful. 


and  diJlinguiJlDed from  all  Counterfeits.   3  6  r 

cifuUflow  to  Anger  and  abundant  in  Goodnefs  and  ^ruth.  As 
is  his  Nature,  fuch  is  his  Condud  -,  and  hence  his  Condud 
exhibits  to  us  the  very  Image  of  his  Heart.  Thus  it  is  m 
the  Impetration,  and  thus  it  is  in  the  Application  of  our  Re- 
demption, and  in  all  the  Methods  he  takes  with  a  guilty 
World|li  general.  And  heace,  all  his  Ways  are  calculated 
to  exalt  God  and  humble  the  Sinner,  to  honour  the  Law 
and  difcountenance  Sin,  to  exclude  Boaftingand  to  glorify 
Grace.     As  we  (hall  more  fully  fee  in  what  follows. 

(i.)  As  being  the  fupreme  Lord  and  fovereign  Ruler 
of  the  whole  World,  he  does  thro*  Jefus  Chrift  the  great 
Mediator,  the  Lamb  Jlain  from  the  Foundation  of  the  Worlds 
by  whom  his  Honour  has  been  fecured,  he  does  (1  fay ) 
thro'  him  grants  and  by  an  A5f  of  Grace  confirm.to  the  World 
of  Mankind^  a  general  Reprieve  from  that  utter  Ruin,  which 
by  Law  was  threatned,  and  which  an  apofiate  World  were 
expofed  unto.  Total  Dcftrudtion  was  threatned  in  Cafe  of 
Difobedience.  Gen.  2.  17.  In  dying  thou  fhalt  die.  i.e.  Thou 
fhalt  die  with  a  witnefs,  thy  Ruin  fhall  be  compleat.  And 
now  nothing  could  be  expeded  but  a  dreadful  Doom,  and 
to  be  fealed  down  under  everlalling  Defpair.  But  inftead 
of  this,  the  great  God  dooms  the  "Ter/ipter^  and  threatens 
utter  Ruin  to  his  new-ereded  Kingdom.  Gen.  3.  14,  15. 
Becaufe  thou  hafi  done  this^  thou  art  cur  fed —  And  thy  Head 
fjjall  be  bruifed.  But  guilty  Man  is  reprieved  from  a  total 
Ruin,  and  allowed  a  Space  for  Repentance.  And  the 
World  has  now  ftood,  almoft  fixThoufand  Years,  reprieved 
by  the  tender  Mercy  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift. 

Indeed,  certain  Evils  v/ere  denounced  by  the  Majefty  of 
Heaven  as  ftanding  Monuments  of  his  Difpleafure,  always 
to  at#id  a  guilty  Race  while  in  this  World.  Peculiar 
Sorrows  were  appointed  to  Women,  and  hard  Labour  and 
Toil  to  Men,  and  Sicknefs  and  Pain  to  both,  till  Death 
fliould  put  an  End  to  their  Reprieve  and  to  their  Space  for 

Repentance.  ^.  16 — 19. And  when  our  Day  to  die 

fhall  come,  we  are  not  to  know :  wc-lie  at  Mercy  :  and 
God  adts  fovereignly  :  fo  long  as  he  pleafes,  fo  loffg  fhall 
we  be  reprieved,  and  no  longer.  And  thus  \yhile  tender 
Mercy  appears  in  the  general  Rcprieve,tb€  Holinefs  and 
Juftice  and  Sovereignty  of  God  appear  in- th«' Manner  of 

it. 


362  l^rm  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

it.  God  is  exalted,  a  guilty  World  lies  at  his  Mercy,  they 
3re  in  a  Senfe  continually  under  his  Rod,  and  every  Mo- 
ment liable  to  drop  into  an  eternal  Hell.  They  are  held 
up  in  his  Hand,  Hell  gapes  to  receive  them,  and  now  he 
lets  one  fall  and  then  another,  now  this  and  then  that,  juft 
as  it  feems  good  in  his  Sight.  Surely,this  is  awful  H|||urely, 
Mankind  are  in  very  humblingCircumftances,&  inCircum- 
ftances  wonderfully  calculated  to  awaken  them  to  repent  and 
fray  to  Gcd^  if  -per  adventure  theirWickednefs  may  he  forgiven. 

When  the  general  Reprieve,  granted  to  this  lower  World, 
{hall  come  to  a  Period,  then  will  the  great  Judge  of  the 
World  proceed,  with  all  who  fhall  be  found  impenitent, 
according  to  Law^  without  any  mixture  of  Mercy.  The 
prefentReprieve,  granted  as  a  Space  for  Repentance,is  not 
of  the  Law^  but  of  mere  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.  Now  Grace 
takes  Place,  &  Patience,  Forbearance  and  Long-Sufiering 
fit  on  the  Throne  :  but  then  Law  fhall  take  Place,  and 
{lri61:  Juftice  reign.  The  Mediation  of  Chrift  at  prefent 
fecures  the  Honour  of  Law  and  Juftice,  and  opens  the 
Door  for  Grace  *,  but  then  the  Day  of  Grace  will  be  at 
an  End.  A  guilty  World  fhall  no  longer  be  treated  in  a 
Way  of  Mercy,  and  favoured  on  Chrift's  Account  •,  but  be 
proceeded  againft  in  flaming  Fire   and  terrible  Vengeance, 

and  every  one  be  punifhed  according  to  his  Deferts. 

How  long  the  Day  of  God's  Patience  wjth  a  guilty  World 
is  to  lafl,  we  know  not.  A  guilty  World  Y\t^  at  his  Mer- 
cy, and  may  be  all  fummoned  to  the  Bar  when  he  pleafes. 
Surely,  this  is  awful  and  awakening  !  But  this  is  the  State 
in  which  God  means  to  fhew  all  Long- Suffering,  and  to 
exercifc  and  difplay  the  infinite  Patience  of  his  Nature. 

And  furely,  this  fhould  lead  us  to  Repentance  ! #Thus, 

this  is  one  Step  in  a  Way  of  Mercy,  which  God  in  his  in- 
finite Grace  thro'  Chrift  has  taken  with  a  guilty  World. 
And  what  is  the  Improvement  v/hich  Mankind  are  difpof- 
ed  to  make  of  it  ?  Why,  hecaufe  Sentence  againft  their  Evil 
IVorks  is  not  executed  fpeedily  -,  therefore  the  Heart  of  the  Sons 
of  Melt  is  fully  fet  in  them  to  do  Evil.  Eccl.  8.  1 1 . 

(2.)  Another  Favour  granted  to  Mankind  in  general  by 
the  great  Governour  of  the  World  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  is, 
a  Competincy  of  the  good  Things  of  this  Lfc  for  their  comfor- 

table 


and dijiinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  363 

table  Support,  while  under  this  Btrieve  and  in  tbisntw  State 
of  Probation.     By  Law  Mank.nd  for  their  Apoftacy  ftood 
difinherited  of  every  good  Thing,  doomed  to  a  compk^t 
Deftruftion.  Gen.  2.  17.  But  now  thro'  a  Mediator,  they 
are  dealt  with  in  a  Way  of  Mercy.—-  'Tis  true,  m  token 
of  tliJiivine  Difpleafure  God  turned  Man  out  of  Paradife, 
and  STfed  the  Ground,  and  fubjecled  Man  to  hard  Labour. 
Gen  2    But  then  at  the  fame  Time,  for  Chnft  s  fake,  a 
general  Grant  of  many  good  Things  is  made  to  a  guilty 
World    They  arc  allowed  to  live  on  God  s  Earth,  breathe 
in  his  Air,  fee  by  the  Light  of  his  Sun,  to  eat  of  the  Herb 
of  the  Field,  and  to  eat  Bread  in  the  Sweat  of  their  i- ace, 
to  cloath  themfelves  with  the  Skins  of  flain  Beafts.  G^«.  3 
Thev  are  allowed  Summer  and  Winter,  Seea-Time  and 
Harvea,  and  the  Beafts  of  the  Field  are  given  to  them. 
Gen.  8.  22.  and  9.  I,  2,  3-     Yea,  it  has  been  God  s  Way 
abundantly  to  doGood  to  a  guilty  ^or\^,to  fend Ratn  and 
srant  fruitful  Seafcns,  and  fill  the  Hearts  of  Men  wtth  Food 
\ndGladnefs.  Aa.  14.  i?-    So  that  confidering  we  are  an 
apoftate,  guilty  World,  we  may  well  fay  with  tX^Ffahmft, 
The  Earth  is  full  of  the  Goodncfs  of  the  Lord:  Pfal.  33.  5- 
And  this  notwithftanding  all  the  Calamities  which  over- 
fpread  the  whole  Earth.     For  we  are  now  to  attribute 
every  Thin<^  in  our  Circumftances,  wh^eby  we  are  better 
of  it  than  the  Damned  in  Hell  be,  to  the  mere  Mercy  and 
Goodnefs  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift.    Thus  God  reprieves 
a  euilty  World,and  grants  them.  Food  and  Raiment,to  the 
Intent  they  may  have  a  Space  ibr  Repentance    Surely  now 
'tis  vile,  infinitely  vile,  to  defpife  the  Riches  of  his  Goodnefs 
'  and  Forbearance  and  Long-Suffering,   and  not  to  take  it  in 
andanderftand  it,  that  the  Goodnefs  ofGodfhomd  lead  us  to 
Repentance :     And  it  is  great  Madnefs,  after  our  hard  and 
impenitent  Hearts  to  go  on  in  our  Rebellion,  and  trcaure^  up 
Wrath  againfi  the  Day  of  Wrath,  and  Revelation  of  the  righ- 
teous judgment  of  God.  Rom.  2.  4,  5-    -^"d  yet  this  is  the 
general  Temper,  and  common  Way  of  the  World. 

(3.)  Another  common  Favour  granted  to  Mankind  up- 
on Chrift'sAccount,  is,  a  general  RefurreUionf rant  theBead: 
(I  Cor.  15.  2 1. J  to  the  Intent  that  all,  who  believe,  repent 
and  return  to  God  thro' Jefus  Chrift,  may  be  compleatly 

happy 


364  True  Religion  delineated     Dis,  11. 

happy  in  Soul  and  Body  for  ever.  It  is  certain,  the  Law 
thveatned  Death,  but  made  no  Provifion  for  a  Refurre6lion. 
And  if  the  Law  had  been  executed  and  no  Mediator  pro- 
vided, we  have  no  Reafon  to  think  there  ever  would  have 
been  any  Refurredlion.  And  I  cannot  fee  why  a  ojeneral 
Refurre6i:ion  may  not  be  confidered  under  the  Noti%of  a 
Mercy  in  it  felf,  notwithftanding  many  by  their  final  Impe- 
nitency  lay  a  Foundation  for  their  being  raifed  up  to  ever- 
lafting  Shame  and  Confufion.  I  am  ready  to  think,  that 
to  be  raifed  from  the  Dead,  mud  furely  be  of  the  Nature  of 
^Mercy^  and  fo  be  the  Effed  of  ChriiVs  Merits  ;  but  the 
particular  Manner  in  which  the  Wicked  fhall  be  raifed,  may 
neverthelefs  be  confidered  as  a  Punifhment^  and  fo  be  the 
Effed  of  their  Sin  and  final  Impenitency.  Chrift's  Merit 
lays  the  Foundation  for  a  generalRefurre6lion,  and  all  that 
believe  and  repent  fhall  be  raifed  up  toGlory  and  compleat 
BlelTednefs,  and  al!  that  die  in  their  Sins  fhall  be  raifed  up 
to  Shame  and  compleat  Mifery. 

(^4.)  There  are  alfo  diverfe  other  Things  granted  to 
Mankind  in  general,  which  feem  pretty  evidently  to  be  of 
the  Nature  of  Mercies,  and  fo  to  be  owing  to  the  Inter- 
pofition  and  Merits  of  our  glorious  Mediator  Chrift  Jefus, 
the  only  Mediator  between  God  and  a  fmful,  guilty  World: 
to  whofe  Merits  aiid  Mediation,  every  Thing  which  Man- 
kind enjoy,  which  is  of  the  Nature  of  a  Mercy,  is  to  be  at- 
tributed. Diverfe  Things,  I  fay,  whereby  much  is  done 
towards  putting  fuch  an  apoflate  Race  of  Beings  into  a  Ca- 
pacity of  comfortably  living  together  in  this  World,  while 
they  are  in  their  new  State  of  Probation.  Divers  Things 
in  our  Temper,  which  feem  originally  to  take  their  Rife 
very  much  from  thatTemperamentof  Body  and  animajfon- 
ftitution,  which  God  our  Former  gives  us.  There  is  a  na- 
tural good  Humour^  a  natural  Compajfioriy  a  natural  Modefty^ 
and  natural  JffeFlions.  Thefe  Things,  in  a  greater  or  lefs 
Degree,  we  find  to  be  natural  to  Men,  and  to  have  a  very 
great  Influence  to  keep  under  and  raflrain  theirCorruptions, 
and  to  incline  and  prompt  to  many  Adlions  materially 
Good,  and  greatly  for  the  Comfort  of  human  Society  and 
Benefit  of  Mankind  in  general.  Thefe  Things  do  evi- 
dently keeg  Mankind  from  Abundance  of  Wickednefs, 

which 


and  dijiinguijhe^from  all  Counteffeits,  3  6-5 

whiqh-  otherwifc  they  would  commit  :  They  have  a  Heart 
for  a Thoufand  Abommations,  but  tbele  Ihings  rcitrain 
them.  And  thefe  Things  do  evidently  putMankind  on  to 
a  Thoufand  Adions  materially  good, which  otherwife  they 
would  never  do:  They  have  aHcart  bad  enough  to  neglect 
them,4ibut  thcfe  Things  excite  them  to  do  them. —  Were 
it  not  for  thefe  and  otherRettraints,  I  fee  not  whyMankind 
fhould  not  be  as  bad  in  this  World,  as  they  will  be  in  the 
next.  Wicked  Men  have  noWickcdnefs  infufed  into  them 
at  Death  ;  and  therefore  they  have  no  other  Nature,  no 
other  Principle  of  Sin  in  theirHearts,after  they  aredead,than 
they  had  before  :  But  as  foon  as  they  are  dead,  they  are  evi- 
dently no  Doubt  as  univerfally  contrary  to  God  and  all  that 
is  Good,  as  the  Devils  themfelves.  As  foon  as  ever  thole 
Things  which  now  reftrain  them,are  all  removed,their  true 
Temper  appears  without  any  Difguife. —  'Tis  no  Doubt, 
therefore  a  greatMercy,  for  Mankind  to  be  thus  reflrained.^ 
They  enjoy  more  Comfort,  they  commit  lefsSin, they  merit 
iefs  Punilhment,  they  are  under  better  Advantages  to  live 
together, 'to  enjoy  the  Means  of  Grace  and  attend  to  the 
Oifers  of  Mercy  by  Jefus  Chriil.  And  therefore  it  feems 
that  all  thefe  Things  ought  to  be  attributed  to  the  tender 
Mercy  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chriil,  who  is  the  Saviour  of  all 
Men^hut  efpedally  of  them  that  believe,   i  Tim.  4.  10. 

Thus,  the  great  God,  inftead  of  executing  the  Sentence 
of  the  Law  in  ail  it's  Severity  upon  a  guilty  World,  doesj 
thro'  the  Mediation  of  Jefus  Chrilt,  grant  to  Mankind  in 
general  thefe  common  Favours —  They  are  reprieved  from 
a  total  Ruin  —  have  a  comfortable  Maintenance  in  ■  this 
World  allowed  them  —  a  o;eneral  Refurre<5lion  is  decreed — 
fever^jpatural  Endowments  are  granted,  to  reftrain  from 
bad  Adtions  and  to  prompt  to  Adions  materially  good. 
And  hereby  theGovernour  of  the  World  has  laid  the  Foun-^ 
dation,  and  prepared  the  Way  to  go  on  to  ufe  the  Methods 
he  defigned,  more  immediately  tending  to  reclaim  and  rc^T 
cover  a  finful,  guilty  World  to  himfelf  ;  for  now  Mankind 
are  put  into  a  Sort  of  a  Capacity  of  being  treated  with  in 
fucha  Way.,- 

-Thefe  Things  ought  deeply  to  aftefi:  Mankind.    We  lie^, 
under  many  Calamities,   and  yet  enjoy  many  Mercies  mi 

thii 


366  "True  Religmi  delineated      Dis.  IL 

this  our  natural  State  of  Guilt  and  Condemnation  •,  all 
which  ought  to  be  improved  to  awaken,  convince  &  hum- 
ble us,  and  lead  us  to  repent  and  cry  to  God  lor  pardoning 
Mercy  and  landlifying  Grace,  and  predifpofe  us  cordially  to 
receive  and  embrace  that  Revelation,  which  God  has  made 
in  his  Word,  of  our  Ruin  and  the  Way  of  our  RedK^ery. 

But,  thro'  the  great  Blindnefs  and  Corruption  of  Man- 
kind, thefe  Things  have  had  a  very  contrary  Effedl.  Man- 
kind, finding  themfelves  thus  reprieved,  ard  thus  kindly 
treated  by  God,  have  many  of  them  hereby  been  led  to 
think,  they  are  in  pretty  good  Standing,  not  hy  Nature 
Children  of  Wrath ^  and  under  Condemnation.  The  Devil 
told  Ez'e^tXhty  JJjouldnot  furely  die  -,  fo  many  are  now  ready 
to  think,that  the  oldLaw5whichthreatned  the  leaftSin  with 
Death, is  repealed  •,  &:  that  we  are  now  born  into  the  World 
free  from  any  Guilt.  And  Mankind,  finding  themfelves 
endowed  with  natural  Modejiy^  good  Humour .,  Ccmpajficn  &c. 
are  ready  to  dream,  that  they  are  born  into  the  World 
without  any  finful  Corruption  of  Nature,  but  rather  as  holy 
as  Mam  in  Innocency.  And  hence  ra'e  very  infenfible  of 
any  Need  of  fuch  aRedeemer  and  Sanctifier  as  are  provided. 
And  fo  they  are  predifpofedto  diflike  thatRevelation  which 
God  has  made  in  his  Word  concerning  our  Ruin  and  the 
Way  of  our  Recovery.  And  hence  Mankind  are  ftrongly 
bent  to  mifunderftand  and  mlfinterpret  and  difbelieve  the 
Law  and  the  Gofpel.  And  befides,  by  this  Goodnefs  and 
Forbearance  of  God,  Men  are  emboldened  in  Sin,  as  if  it 
were  not  a  very  great  Evil,  nor  God  very  much  fet  againil 
it.  They  begin  to  think,  God  is  all  made  up  of  Mercy, 
and  that  they  are  in  no  great  Danger.  And  fo  after  their 
hard  and  impcjiitcnt  Hearts.,  they  go  on  to  treafure  up  Wrath 
agatn§i  the  Day  cf  Wrath.,  and  Revelation  of  the  righteous 
Judgment  of  God.  Thus  God  and  his  Goodnefs  is  abufed 
by  this  vile  wicked  Race  of  apoftate,  rebelhous  Creatures. 
—  And  indeed,  all  this  is  no  more  than  was  expelled. — 
Great  Reafon  therefore  was  there  for  him  fo  efi^eAually  to 
fecure  his  own  Honour  and  the  Honour  of  his  holy  Law, 
by  the  Interpofition  of  his  own  dear  Son  as  Mediator. — • 
And  now,  let  Mankind  be  ever  fo  bad,  he  can  go  on  with 
his  Methods  of  Mercy,  to  sccomplifh  all   his  Defigns  of 

Grace, 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  367 

Grace,  and  all  confiftent  with  the  Honour  of  his  Holincfs 
and  Juilice,  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority. 

(5.^  Mankind  being  naturally  very  infenfible  of  their' 
finful,  guilty,  ruined  Ellate,  and  totally  ignorant  of,  and- 
unable  to  find  out,  any  Way  of  obtaining  the  divine  Fa- 
vour, and  wholly  averfe  in  theTemper  of  their  Hearts  to  a 
genuineReturn  to  God  j  therefore  God  of  his  infiniteGrace 
thro'  Jefus  Chriil,  has,  in  various  Ways  and  diverfe  Man- 
ners, according  to  the  good  Pieafure  of  his  Will,  by  im- 
mediate Revelation  from  Heaven,  fet  before  Mankind  their 
Ruin  and  the  Way  of  their  Recovery,  offered  many  Argu- 
ments, Motives  and  Encouragements  to  perfwade  them  to 
return,  and  denounced  terrible  Threatnings  to  deter  them 
from  going  on  in  their  Rebellion,  and  directed  them,  in  the 
ufe  of  certain  Means  of  Grace, to  feek  for  the  inward  Influ- 
ences of  the  holy  Spirit,to  awaken  and  convince,  to  humble 
and  convert  and  effectually  recove^  them  to  God  thro'  the 
great  Mediator. 

(6.)  And,  becaufe  the  moilHigh  fees,that  thro'  the  very 
bad  Temper  of  Mankind,  this  external  Revelation,  altho' 
mofl  excellently  adapted  thereto,  yet,if  left  to  themfelves, 
would  finally  prove  altogether  ineffectual  to  recover  any 
of  Mankind  -,  yea,  fo  very  far  from  it,  that  Mankind  would 
not  fo  much  as  rightly  underftand  or  believe  it,  or  feriouHy 
take  Matters  into  Confideration,  but  would  mifunderfland 
and  pervert  it,  and  finally  univerfally  difbelieve  and  re- 
nounce and  forget  it,  and  not  fuffer  it  to  have  any  Room  in 
the  World  :  therefore  he  has  from  the  Beginning  of  the 
World  and  does  flill  and  will  to  the  End  of  the  World,  by 
the  inward  Influences  of  his  Spirit  and  by  the  outward 
Difpenfations  of  his  Providence,  carry  on,  according  to  his 
fovereign  Pieafure,  the  Work  of  his  Grace,  accomplifh  his 
eternal  Purpofes  of  Mercy,  recover  Sinners  to  himfelf,.' 
maintain  true  Religion  in  the  World,  preferve  his  Church, 
gather  in  all  the  Eleft,  difplay  all  his  glorious  Perfections 
in  his  Dealings  with  Mankind,  and  get  to  himfelf  a  great 
Name  in  the  End  :  Exhibiting  in  his  whole  Condud  frora^ 
firfl:  to  lafl:  the  moft  lively  Image  of  himfelf.  -s 

In  thefe  two  laft  Particulars,  we  have  a  general  Account 
of  thofe  Methods,  which  God  does  take  with  a  linful, guilty^ 

Race, 


368        True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

Race,  more  immediately  tending  to  their  Recovery  :  which 
we  may  fee  exemplified,  in  his  Dealings  with  Mankind, 
from  the  Beginning, 

I.  In  the  earlieft  Ages  of  the  World,  immediately  after 
the  Fall^  he  began  to  enter  upon  thefe  Methods  of  Grace. 
He  taught  our  tirft  Parents  their  Ruin  and  theWay  of  their 
Recovery  by  the  promiled  Seed  \  and  inftitiiLed  Sacrifices 
to  typify  the  great  Atonement,  which  fhould  afterwards  be 
made  for  the  Sins  of  the  World.  Gen.  3.  And  what  he 
taught  our  firfl  Parents,  they  taught  their  Children.  And 
hence  Cain  and  Ahel  and  after-Generations  learnt  to  worfliip 
God  by  Sacrifice.  Gen.  4.  3 — 8.  Now  Adam  lived  until 
Methufelah  was  two  Plundred  and  forty  fix  Years  old,  and 
Methiifelah  lived  until  Shem  was  an  Hundred  Years  old,  and 
Shem  lived  until  the  Time  di  Abraham  zxA  Ifaac^  yea  'till 
Jfaac  was  fifty  Years  old  •,  fo  that  the  News  of  Adara^YzW, 
of  the  Pv^uin  of  Mankind,  and  of  Salvation  by  the  Seed  cf 
thelFoman.,  might  eafily  have  been  handed  down  by  Tradi- 
tion from  one  to  another,  and  allMankind  might  have  been 
fully  acquainted  with  thefe  Things. —  And  befides  thefe  ex- 
ternal Teachings  and  Means  of  Grace,  God  granted  the 
inward  Influences  ot  his  Spirit,  whereby  fome  were  effec- 
tually recovered  to  God,  of  whom  were  Abel^  Enoch  and 
Noah.,  who  VvTre  alfo  fignalized  by  divine  Providence. 
Gen,  4.  4.  &:  5.  22.  &:  6.  9.  Compared  with  Heh.  11.  4, — 7. 
But  while  God  thus  early  began  to  ufe  Methods  for  the 
recovery  of  a  finful,  guilty  World  to  himfelf,  they  began 
early  to  fhew  their  Averfion  to  God  and  Unwillingnefs  to 
return.  Cain  feems,  by  the  Sacrifice  which  he  offered,  quite 
infenfible,that  he  was  a  fallen  Creature,  and  that  he  needed 
an  Atonement  for  Sin.  He  brought  only  of  the  Fruit  of 
the  Ground  for  a  Thank-Offer ing,  (like  the  Pharifee  in 
Luk.  18.  Whofe  Prayer  confifted  only  in  Thankfgiving, 
without  any  Faith  or  Repentance)  but  brought  none  of 
the  Flock  for  a  Sin-Offering,  (Gen.  4.)  altho'  without  Jloed- 
ding  of  Blood  there  could  he  no  Remiffion.  Heb.  9.  22.  He 
was  a  formal  impenitent  Hypocrite,  nor  would  God  accept 
him  J  but  Ahel  found  Favour  in  the  Sight  of  the  Lord  by 
Faith.  Heh.  11.  4.  And  therefore  Cain  was  angry  at  God, 
and  enraged  at  his  Brother,  and  murthered  him,   and  call 

off 


and clijlinguipied from  all  Counterfeits.  369 

off  allReligion,  &  gave  himfelf  up  to  ferve  his  Lufls.  Yea, 
he  foribok  the  vifible  Church  of  God,  and  departed  and 
went  into  the  Land  of  Nod.  And  thus  he,  and  afterward* 
hisPofterity  after  him,  join  to  renounce  true  Religion,  and 
openly  diflinguifh  themfelves  from  God's  vifible  People  oa 
Earth.  G//2.4.16.  And  itfcems  Good  to  the  fupreme  Go- 
vernour  of  the  World,  e'en  to  let  them  all  take  their  Way, 
and  ad  their  own  Nature. 

.  For  a  While,  true  Religion  was  maintained  in  theFami- 
ly  of  Seth.  Gen.  4.  2  6.  And  to  put  Honour  upon  the 
Pradice  thereof,  Enoch  was  tranQated  to  Heaven. G^;/. 5. 24. 
But  yet,  in  Procefs  of  Time,  they  degenerated,  and  became 
fo  much  hke  the  Reft  of  the  World,  like  the  P  ofterity  of 
Cain^  that  they  were  difpofed  to  reliili  their  Company,  and 
marry  their  Daughters.  Gen,  6.  2.  And  then  prefently  the 
Contagion  fpreadjT"/??^  Wickedness  of  Mankind  in  general  was 
great  upon  the  Earthy  {f,  5.)  All  FleJJo  corrupted  theirWays^ 
and  the  Earth  was  filled  with  Violence,  {f  ,11^12.)  And  now 
the  great  Governour  of  the  World  raifes  up  Noah^  and 
makes  him  aPreacher  of  Rightecufnefs  \  and  Noah  preaches, 
and  God  waits  an  Hundred  and  Twenty  Years,  but  Man- 
kind will  not  be  reformed,  and  therefore  God  gives  over 
that  Generation,  and  drowns  the  World  by  a  univerfal  De- 
luge.—  Firft^  Mankind  break  thro'  all  the  Reftraints  lying 
upon  them,  difcover  the  very  Temper  of  their  Hearts,pubr 
lickly  fliew  their  Averfion  to  God,  their  Difregard  or  his 
Grace,  their  utter  Unwiilingnefs  to  return,  and  their  per- 
verfe  Propenfity  to  go  on  in  theirRebellion. — Secondly yGody 
-thro',  the  Mediator,  ufes  Means  to  reclaim  them,  and 
Ihews  all  Long- fuffering,and  fo  tries  them. — Thirdly, Thtj, 
remaining  obftinate,  trampling  under  Foot  his  Authority, 
and  defpifmg  his  Goodnefs,  he  at  laft  in  a  moft  publick 
Manner  executes  righteous  Vengeance  upon  them.  —  He 
difplays  his  infinite  Goodnefs  and  Patience,  in  waiting  fo 
long  and  ufing  fo  many  Means  for  their  Recovery  :  He 
difplays  his  Sovereignty,  in  waiting  but  juft  fo  long,and  in 
taking  but  juft  fo  much  Pains  with  them  ;  He  difplays  his 
HoHnefs,  Juftice  and  Truth,  in  bringing  that  Deftrudtioa 
upon  them  at  the  very  Time  before  threatned  :  and  in  the 
whole,he  difplays  his  infinite Wifdom  j  his  v/hole  Condud, 

B  b  ^     being 


370       4  %^ue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

being  excellently  well  calculated,   to  make  all  fucceeding 
Generatiorts  know  that  he  is  the  LORD^  and  fuited  to  main- 
tain the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs,  Juftice,    Goodnefs   and 
Truth,  of  his  Law  and  Government  and  facred  Authority. 
And  thus  we  fee  what  Methods  God  took  with  the  old 
World,  together  with  the  Refult  of  all. 
And  now, 
2.  We  come  to  take  a  brief  View  of  his  Ways  with 
Mankind y?;;c^  the  Floods  and  of  their  Carriage  towards  him. 
There  is  no  Doubt  but  that  Noah  had  received  by  Tradi- 
tion and  well  underftood  the  Fall  of  Adam^    the  Ruin  of 
Mankind,  the  Way  of  Recovery  by  the  Seed  of  the  Woman^ 
the  Inftitution,  End  and  Defign  of  Sacrifices.     And  there 
is  no  Doubt  but  that  he  faithfully  inftrudled  his  Children, 
in  what  he  himfelf  knew.     And  they  might  have  taught 
their  Children,  and  they  the  Generation  following,   and  fo 
all  the  World  might  have  known  the  Way  of  Salvation 
thro'  a  Mediator.     And  'tis  certain,   that  this  would  have 
been  the  Cafe,  had  Mankind  been  in  a  Difpofition  fuffici- 
ently  to  have  prized  the  Knowledge  of  thefe  Things.    But 
"-johen  they  km^uj  God^  by  parental  Inftruflion,  they  did  7iot 
glorify  him  as  Gcd^  neither  were  they  thankful  for  thefe  Ad- 
vantages which  infinite  Goodnefs  had  granted  them.  Rom. 
..1.2 1.  But  became  vain  in  their  Imaginations ^and  their  foolifJo 
Heart  was  darkened.     And  they  foon  loft  the  Knowledge  of 
true  Religion,  and  fell  off  co  Idolatry, and  changed  theGlory 
of  the  inccrruptib'e  Gody   into  an  Image  made  like  unto  cor- 
ruptihle  Man^  and  to  Birds  and  four-footed  Beafis  and  creep- 
ing  Things^  Ver.  23.  For  they  did  not  like  to  retain  Cod  in 
their  Knowledge y  Ver.  28.    And  when  Mankind,  prefently 
after  the  Flood,    did  thus  pubiickly  difcover  the  Temper 
of  their  Hearts,  by  renouncing  the  true  God  and  true  Re- 
ligion, and  railing  away  to  Idolatry   and  Superftition  and 
all  Manner  of  Wickednefs  :    I  fav,  when  Mankind,  not- 
withftanding  the  late  awful  Vv  arning  they  had  had  by  the 
univerfal  Deluge  •,  did  thus  quickly  fhew  themfelves  fo  in- 
tirely  difpofed  to  their  finful  and  rebellious  Courfes  :    For 
this  Caufe  God  gave  them  up,   >?■.  24,  26,  28.  even  fuffered 
them  to  take  their  own  Way  and  run  their  own  Ruin. — 
The  whole  Earth  might  ril]  have  been  God's  People  and  his 

'     vifible 


and  dijlingtiijloed from  all  Counterfeits.  37 1 

vifible  Family,  but  they  would  not.  They  might  all  have 
retained  the  Knov/iedge  of  the  true  God  and  of  the  Way  to 
Lile,  but  they  did  not  like  to  ;  and  God  was  not  obliged  to 
make  them,  and  therefore  he  even  let  them  take  their  own 
Courfe  :  and  yet  took  Care,  in  after  Ages,  not  to  leave 
himfelf  v/ithout  Vvitnefs,  but  by  many  wonderful  Works 
to  let  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  know  that  he  was  the 
LORD.  And  if  any  would  repent  and  return,  he  made 
Provifiorr  for  their  Reception  as  Profelytes  into  the  /%j/^ 
Church.  And  doubtlefs  here  and  there  one,  from  Age  to 
Age,  by  the  inward  Influences  of  his  blefTed  Spirit,  were 
brought  fo  to  do  ;  aad  the  reft  were  blinded ;  as  is  faid  in  a 
parallel  Cafe,  Rom.  ii.  7. 

And  now  theKnowledge  of  the  trueGod  &  of  true  Reli- 
gion mufl  prefently  have  been  loft  from  off  the  Face  of  the 
whole  Earth,  and  never  have  been  recovered,  and  Satan 
had  the  moft  full  PoflefTion  of  the  whole  World  to  the  lateft 
Poftcrlty,  had  not  free  and  fovereign  Grace  interpofed  in  a 
moft  wonderful  Manner  in  this  dark  and  awful  Jun6i:ure. 
But  in  this  very  Seafon,  God  was  pleafed  of  his  own  mere 
Goodnefs  and  fovereign  Pleafure,  ftill  thro'  the  appointed 
Mediator,  by  the  gracious  Influences  of  his  Spirit,  and  by 
immediate  Revelations,  and  by  the  fpecial  Difpenfations  of 
hisPro vidence,  to  preferve  to  himfelf  a  Seed  to  ferve  him.— 
He  called  Ahram  alone,  as  it  v/ere,  from  the  reft  of  the 
World,  and  blefTed  him  -,  he  made  farther  Revelations  to 
him  touching  the  fromifed  Seedy  and  entred  into  a  Covenant 
to  be  his  God  and  the  God  of  his  Children  after  him. 
And  now,  a  new  World  of  Wonders  begin  to  open  to  our 
View,  in  the  divine  Difpenfations  tov/ards  Abrahajmndhi^ 
Seed.  Gen,  12.  &:c. 

Note^  While  God  was  doing  thefe  Things  with  Aha» 
ham^  the  reft  of  the  World  grew  Wicked  apace.  And 
therefore  God  thought  fit,  to  give  a  Specimen  of  theTem- 
per  of  his  Heart,  and  let  the  Nations  know  that  he  was  the 
LORDy  by  raining  Fire  and  Brimftone  out  of  Heaven  upon 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah^  who  were  remarkably  Wicked ;  and 
at  the  fame  Time  delivering  righteous  Lot.  Gen.  19.  —  A 
Difpenfation  fo  remarkable,  and  never  the  like  before  heard 
of,  that  no  doubt  it  flew  like  Lightning  all  the  World  over, 

B  b  2  and 


372       True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  IL 

and  fpread  Terror  and  Surprize  thro'  the  guilty  Nations. 
Howfoever,  fcr  all  this^  they  turned  not  to  the  Lord. 

Well,  Abraham  is  circumcifed  with  all  his  Houfhold, 
and  true  Religion  is  taught  and  maintained  in  his  Family, 
and  Ifaac  his  Son,  and  Ekazer  his  Servant,  feem  to  have 
been  favingly  wrought  upon  by  divine  Grace.  And  God 
blelTes  Abraham^  and  he  becomes  very  great ;  and  God 
prgteds  him  wherever  he  goes,  to  the  Honour  of  his  great 
»e,  in  the  midft  of  an  idolatrous  World.  Neverthe- 
the  World  inftead  of  growing  wifer  and  better  by  all 
this,  which  doubtlefs  was  heard  of  and  much  wondered  at 
among  the  Nations,  they  grew  worfe  and  worfe.  -^  Yea, 
Wickednefs  appears  openly  in  Abraham^  Family  it  felf. 
IJhrmel  difcovers  a  bad  Spirit  -,  He  mocks  at  Ifaac ^  Gen. 
21.9.  And  he  that  was  born  after  the  Flefh^  perfecnted  him 
that  was  born  after  the  Spirit^  Gal.  4.  29.  So  that  he  was, 
in  a  Sort,  excommunicated  and  call  out  of  God's  vifible 
Family.  And  it  is  not  long  before  true  Religion  is  a  Thing 
unknown  among  his  numerous  Pofterity.  And  they  who 
were  of  the  Seed  of  Abraham  according  to  the  Flefn,  were 
now  numbred  with  the  Heathen.  Thus,  after  this  Sort  it 
fared  with  Cain  the  fir  ft  Perfecutor,  and  thus  it  fares  with 
IfJoynael^  for  the  warning  of  all  godlefs  and  carnal  ProfeiTors. 
And  yet  from  Age  to  Age  this  fame  Temper  has  appeared, 
and  yet  ftill  does  appear,  altho'  perhaps  this  Sin,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  World  to  this  Day,  has  never  yet  gone 
unpuniihed. 

Now,  it  was  faid.  In  Ifaac  fJjall  thy  Seed  be  called.  And 
with  him  God  renewed  the  Covenant,  and  to  him  thePro- 
mifes  were  repeated,  and  God  blefled  him,  and  he  became 
very  great  ;  and  he  alfo  was  under  a  fpecial  divine  Pro- 
te(5lion.  Yet  there  was  a  profane  Efau  in  his  Family,  who 
made  fo  light  of  the  fpiritual  Bleflings  of  Abraham.,  as,  for 
a  mere  Trifle,  to  fell  his  Birth-right.  And  he  afterwards 
became  a  Perfecutor  of  his  Brother  Jacobs  and  his  Pofteri- 
ty  foon  loft  the  Knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  of  the  true 
Religion,  and  degenerated  into  a  State  oi  Heathenifm. 

Nor  can  it  be  attributed  to  any  Thing  but  the  free  and 
fovereign  Grace  of  God,  that  Jacob  and  his  Seed  did  not 
do  fo  toO:     But  fo  it  was ;  for  fo  it  feemed  Good  in  the 

Eyes 


and  diflinguijhed  ff^om  all  Counterfeits.  3^ 

Eyes  of  him,  who  has  Mercy  on  whom  he  will  ha've  Mercy ^ 
and  whofe  Purpofe  according  to  Eleclion  always  ftands  inde- 
pe7ident  on  Works.  Rom.  9.  1 1.  I  fay,  fo  it  was,  thro'  the 
Power  of  him,  who  worketh  all  Things  according  to  the 
Counfel  of  his  ownWill^thsLtwh^n  all  the  otherNations  of  the 
Earth  were  fuffered  to  renounce  the  true  God  and  the  true 
Religion,  that  in  Jacob  God  was  known^  and  his  Name  was 
great  in  Ifrael.  —  Never  was  there  a  Nation,  which  difco- 
vered  a  ftrongerPropenfity  toldolatry  &  allManner  of  Wick- 
ednefs  than  they.  And  notwithftanding  all  the  mighty 
Reflraints,  by  God  laid  upon  them,  they  were  almoft  per- 
petually breaking  thro'  all,  and  ruihing  on  like  the  Horfc 
into  the  Battle.  Neither  Warnings,  nor  Threatninga^  nor 
the  Authority  of  God,  nor  the  Tears  of  their  Prophets,  nor 
the  moft  terrible  Judgments,  were  ever  abl^  effedually  to 
rellrain  that  People  and  turn  them  to  God.  And  had  not 
God  always  by  his  fpecial  Grace,  kept  a  Remnant  for  him- 
felf,  they  would  have  been  like  Sodom  and  like  toGomorrah. 
Jfai.  I.  2 — 9.  Ro?n.  11.  2 — 7. 

Now  the  divine  Perfections  were  moft  illuftrioufly  dif- 
played,  in  the  divine  Condudt  towards  this  People,  from 
Age  to  Age  ♦,  and  that  not  only  before  theirFaces,  but  alfo 
in  the  Eyes  of  all  the  Nations  round  about  them.  Marvel- 
lous Things  were  wrought  in  Egypt ^  and  Wonders  at  the 
Red  Seay  and  forty  Years  in  the  Wildernefs, which  noDoubt 
did  ring  thro'  the  World,  and  were  enough  to  have  mad^ 
all  the  Earth  know  that  he  was  the  LORD^  and,  but  for 
their  perverfe  Stubbornnefs,  to  have  brought  them  all  to 
worihip  him  and  him  only.  But  all  this  was  fo  far  fron> 
reclaiming  the  Heathert  Nations,  that  it  hardly  tamed  the 
Ifraelites  themfelves.  But  they  rebelled  at  Tiberah,  and  at 
Majfahy  and  at  Kihroth-Hattaavah^  and  were  perpetually 
provoking  the  Lord  to  Wrath.  Deut.  9.  JVhen  he  Jlezv  them^ 
then  they  fought  him  :  And  returned  and  enq^uired  early  after 
God,  Neverthelefsy  they  did  flatter  hi^  with  their  Mouth  ^and 
lied  unto  him  with  their  'Tongues,  For  their  Heart  was  not 
right  with  him^  neither  were  they  ftedfafl  in  his  Covenant^ 
Pfal.  78.34 — 37.  And  many  a  Time  were  they  within  a 
,Hair'$  Breadth  of  Deftruition,  and  would  furely  have  beea 

B  b  3  utterly 


374         7rue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  IL 

utterly  deflroyed,  but  that  he  wrcught  for  his  great  Name's 
fake.  Exod.  32.  Num.  14.  Ezek.  20. 

So  again,  in  the  Days  of  Jojhua^  he  divided  Jordan^  and 
drove  out  the  Heathen  before  them^  a7id  gave  them  their  Land 
ift  Poffeffton^  and  made  the  'Tribes  of  Ifrael  dwell  in  their  Tents, 
Tet  they  afterwards  tempted  and  provoked  the  mof}  high  God^ 
and  kept  not  his  Tefiimonies^  but  turned  back  and  dealt  un- 
faithfully like  their  Fathers :  they  provoked  him  to  Anger 
with  their  high  Places.,  and  moved  him  to  jealoufy  with  their 
graven  Images.  Pfal  78.  54 — 58.  Judg.  2.  6 — 20.  And 
now  for  the  Space  of  many  Years,  God,  by  raifing  up 
judges  and  by  feiiding  Prophets  and  executing  Judgments, 
did  ilabour  to  reform  them  ;  but  all  in  vain :  For  they 
quickly  turned  afide  like  a  deceitful  Bow.  However  in  the 
mean  while,  tbe  Goodnefs  and  Patience  of  God  on  the  one 
Hand,  and  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice  on  the  other,  were 
illuftrioufiy  difplayed  by  his  wonderful  Works  in  the 
midft  of  the  Earth,  to  be  founded  out  among  ail  Nations  ; 
tlaat  all  the  Earth  might  know  that  he  was  the  LORD. 

In  the  Days  of  David  and  Solomon.,  God  wrought  for  his 
great  Name's  fake.,  and  exalted  his  People,  and  made  Ifrael 
honourable  in  the  Sight  of  all  Nations  ;  yet  were  they 
not  fmceie  in  his  Sight :  and  when  outward  Reftraints 
were  afterwards  taken  off,  they  foon  difcovered  the  hidden 
Temper  of  their  Hearts,  that  they  did  not  care  for  God  or 
his  Worfhip,  but  liked  Dan  &  Bethel^  as  well  as  theTemple 
at  Jerufalem,  Thus  did  the  ten  Tribes  ;  nor  was  their  trea- 
cherous Sifter  Jiidah  more  fincere.  When  a  good  King 
reigned,they  would  pretend  to  be  good  •,  &  when  a  badKing 
reigned,  they  ftood  ready  for  Idols.  And  now  God  fent 
Judgment  upon  them  Time  after  Time,  and  fent  all  his 
Servants  the  Prophets,  fiying,  O  do  not  this  abominable 
Thing  which  my  Soul  hat eth :  but  they  would  not  hearken. 
The  Lord  God  of  their  Fathers  fent  to  them  by  his  Meffengerfy 
rijing  up  betimes  and  fending  %  bccanfe  he  had  Compaffion  on 
his  People  and  on  his  Dwelling-Place :  but  they  mocked  the 
Meffengers  of  God^  and  defpifed  his  If'ards,  "and  miftifed  his 
Prophets^  until  the  Wrath  of  God  arofe  againfi  his  People., 
till  there  was  no  Remedy.  Therefore  he  brought  upon  them 
the  King  cf  the  Chaldecs^  and  gave  them  all  into  his  Hand, 
2  Chron.  36. 15,  16,  i".  However, 


and  diJiinguiJJjedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  375 

However,  God  was  tenderly  touched  at  the  publick 
Reproach  and  Diihonour,  to  which  his  great  Name  was 
expofed  in  the  Eyes  of  infulting  Nations  all  around,  who 
claped  their  Hands ^  andfiam-ped  with  their  Feet^  and  rejoyced 
with  all  their  Hearty  for  what  was  done  to  the  Peopb 
called  by  his  Name,  glorying  that  their  GOD  was  no  bet- 
ter than  the  dumb  Idols  which  they  ferved.  WhereforeGod 
raifed  up  the  Prophet  Ezekiel,  who  clears  up  God's  Con- 
du6l  towards  his  People,  in  Chapters  i6th  and  1 8th  and  on. 
And  dooms  the  neighbouring  Nations  in  the  Name  of  God, 
declaring  what  Judgment  fhould  come  upon  them  from 
the  Hand  of  God  for  their  infulting,  whereby  they  fhould 
be  made  to  know  that  He  was  the  LORD,  as  in  the  2  5th  to 

Chap.  3 1 . And  now  alfo  Daniel  and  his  Companions 

were  by  God  raifed  up,  that  by  them  his  Name  might  be- 
come great  in  the  Eyes  of  all  Nations.  And  for  them  he 
works  fuch  Deliverances  as  to  conflrain  the  haughty  Mq^ 
narchs  of  the  Earth  to  ifllie  out  their  Decrees  thro'  all  the 
World,  that  none  fhould  /peak  any  Thing  amifs  againft  the 
God  of  Shadrachy  Me/back  and  Abcdnego,  upon  Pain  of  be- 
ing  cut  in  Pieces,  and  their  Houfes  made  a  Dunghill. ^ 

And  that  in  all  their  Dominions  Men  fliould/^^r  and  trem- 
ble before  the  God  of  Daniel.  Dan.  3.  29,  and  6.  26. 
Surely  the  infinite  Wifdom  of  God  appears  mod  wonder- 
fully, in  all  the  aftonifliing  Methods  which  he  has  taken  to 
make  himfelf  known,  &  to  keep  up  theHonour  of  his  great 
Name  among  fuch  a  wicked,  God-hating  Race  of  Beings  1 

And  now  all  this  while,  there  was  nothing  but  the  in- 
finite Goodnefs,  and  free  and  fovereign  Grace  of  God,  to-r 
gether  with  his  Covenant  Faitbfulnefs,  to  move  him,  not 
to  caft  off  and  utterly  rejedt  his  People,  and  let  them  bq 
fcattered  among  the  Heathen,  and  their  Name  perifh  from 
off  the  Earth.  It  was  for  his  great  Name^s  fake  that  he 
wrought  Salvation  for  them  from  Time  to  Time.  Ezek.  20. 
When  there  was  n6  Motive  in  them,  but  every  Thing  to 
the  contrary  •,  then  for  his  own  Sake  he  undertook  to  write 
ins  Law  in  their  Hearts  and  put  it  in  their  inward  Parts,  to 
be  their  God  and  make  them  his  People,  and  to  remember  their- 
Iniquities  no  more  againft  them,  and  to  bring  them  back  /  ■ 
their  own  Land^  and  plant  them  and  buili  tkm  up,  E?^  k 
36,  J$— 34,  B  M  -^^"^ 


37^        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

And  however,  by  the  Bahyloniflj  Captivity  the  Jewijh 
People  were  pretty  thoro'ly  cured  of  their  idolatrous  Dif- 
pofition ;  yet  after  their  Return,  and  after  the  godly  Men 
of  that  Generation  were  dead,  they  foon  began  to  fliew  that 
they  were  as  averfe  to  God  and  the  Life  of  Religion  as 
ever.  And  yet  all  thefe  Things  notwithftanding,  God  is 
determined  to  make  one  Trial  more.  He  had  fent  one 
Servant  after  another,  and  they  had  been  beaten,  and  Hon- 
ed, and  put  to  Shame,  and  fent  away  empty.  Now  there- 
fore he  fends  his  only  Son^  to  fee  if  they  will  hear  him  :  and 
behold  they  fay,  Come  let  us  kill  him.  Mat.  21.  33 — '^^, 
Wherefore  at  laft,  God  determines  to  cafl  off  that  Nation. 
ver.  41.  And  to  go  and  try  the  Heathen,  whom,  for  a 
long  Time,  he  had  fuffcred  to  take  their  own  Ways. 

And  now,  to  his  Apoftles  Chrifl  gives  Commiflion,  to- 
go  into  all  the  Earth.,  and  preach  the  Gcfpel  to  ev^ry  Crea- 
ttire^andhe  that  hlieveth^fays  he,  /hall  be  faved  ;  and  he  that 
helieveth  not  Jhall  be  damned.  And  they  run,and  preach, and 
cry^  Repent  and  turn  from  ycur  dumb  Idols  to  ferve  the  livi?tg 
God.  And  had  not  they  been  flopped,  they  would  ibon 
have  carried  the  News  all  round  the  World.  But  Jews 
and  Gentiles  combine  together,  and  Earth  and  Hell  are  in 
Arms  to  defeat  the  Defign.  Neverthelefs,  as  many  as  were 
ordained  to  eternal  Life  believed.  And  God  carried  on  his 
Work  thro'  a  Sea  of  Blood,  and  in  about  three  Hundred 
Years  conquered  ti;e  R.oman  Empire. 

No  fooner  is  this  done,  but  the  Myflery  of  Iniquity  begins 
to  work,  and  the  Man  cf  Sin  to  be  revealed.  The  Devii 
and  his  Servants  turn  their  Coat,  and  under  the  Cloak  of 
Religion  and  good  Order,  eflablifli  the  Kingdom  of  Satan 
m  a  new  Form  :  For  it  is  the  Nature  of  Mankind  to  hate 
true  Religion.  And  now  Antichrift  reigns,  and  fcatten 
the  holy  People^  and  wears  cut  the  Saints  of  the  moft  High., 
for  a  Time.^and  '"limes,  and  half  a  Time.  In  the  mean  while. 
The  I'f/oman  flies  into  the  Wildernefs.,  the  JVitneffes  prophefy 
in  Sackcloth.,  until  at  laft  the  Witneffes  themfelves  arc_  fldin. 
And  now  Religion  is  driven  even  jufl  out  of  the  World, 
and  tb.ere  had  been  no  Hope,  but  that  God  awoke  as  one 
oiu  rf  bleeps  like  a  mighty  Man  that  fjcuteth  by  Reafon  of 
/Vine.     A^Tid  behgid  the  Spirit  of  Lifi  from  God  enters  into 


and  dijlinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  377 

the  two  PFitneffes,  that  is,  Luther  and  Calvin^  and  others 
their  Contemporaries  *,  and  they  flood  upon  their  Feet,  and 
great  Fear  fell  upon- them  which  flaw  them.  And  God  put 
them  out  of  their  Enemies  Reach.  And  there  was  a  great 
Earthquake,  and  a  tenth  Fart  of  the  City  fell.  Rev.  9 .  And 
a  glorious  Day  began  to  dawn. 

But  now,  it  is  not  long,  before  many  turnHereticks  and 
Enthufiafls,  and  the  World  rifes  in  Arms,  and  by  Fire  and 
Sword  endeavour  to  demoliih  the  Redeemer's  Kingdorrr. 
However,  God  wrought  for  his  great  Name's  fake, and  has 
ever  fince  been  working,  and  will  go  on  conquering  and 
to  conquer,  until  all  the  Nations  of  the  Earth  are  brought 
into  Subjedlion  to  his  Son. 

Thus  we  have  taken  a  brief  View  of  the  Methods  which 
God  has  taken  to  recover  a  finful,  guilty  World,  to  him- 
felf :  The  external  Means  we  have  chiefly  dwelt  upon.  Up- 
on the  internal,  fomething  farther  faall  be  added  prefently. 
But  let  us  firft  make  a  few  Remarks. 

Remark  i.  Had  not  Mankind  been  wholly  to  Blame, 
they  might  all  of  them  from  the  Beginning  have  enjoyed 
the  Benefit  of  divine  Revelation.  Nothing  fecluded  them 
therefrom,  but  their  own  bad  Temper  and  badCondu6l. — 
And  had  not  Mankind  been  wholly  to  Blame,  they  might 
all  of  them  have  enjoyed  the  Gofpel,  and  had  it  preached 
ail  over  the  V/orld  to  this  Day.  Nothing  has  hindered  it 
but  their  own  perverfe  Obftinacy,  their  hating  the  Light, 
and  hating  the  Truth. —  Strange  it  is  therefore,  that  fome 
Men  of  Learning  fhould  befo  full  of  Charity  for  the  Hea- 
then,  who  thus  hate  God,  defpife  Chi^ift,  and  rejed  theGof- 
pei.  * 

Rem. 

*  But  perhaps  fome  will  be  ready  to  fay,  that  there  may  he  viany  honejl 
Ferfo7is  amwng  the  Heathen,  nx)ho  ne^ver  heard  of  thu  Gofpel j  and  nenjer 
rejected  ^V,  'who  7n  ay  Ji and  fair  for  Hea<veit. 

Anfvj.  There  is  a  Number  of  fuch  honeft  Sort  of  Perfons  among  Chrif- 
tians,  buftheir  natural  Enmity  to  God  and  Chrift  and  Gofpel-Grace  is 
found  to  be  as  great  as  others.  And  fometimes  Publicans  and  Harlots 
enter  into  Heaven  before  them.—  Surely  none  of  them  more  honeft 
than  th^you^g  Man  in  the  Gofpel,  nor  ever  arrived  to  greater  Attain- 
ments ;  and  therefore  all  of  them  might  do  as  he  did,if  under  the  fame 
Circumftanjres.  That  natural  Kind  of  Honefty>  many  Times  ia  an  Oc 

'rafion 


378         True  ReligiQ?i  delineated       Dis.  II. 

Rem.  2.  Mankind  have  manifefled  the  higheft  Degree 
di  Averfion  to  God  and  true  ReHgionfrom  the  Beginning  of 
the  World,  and  that  almoil  in  all  poflible  Ways.  Hun- 
dreds, and  Thoufands,  and  Millions,  have  they  in  their 
Rage  put  to  Death,  and  that  in  the  mofl  barbarous   and 

cruel  Manner. Strange  it  is  therefore,  that  fo  many 

Matters  di  Fad  have  not  to  this  Day  convinced  Mankind, 

that  they  are  are  truly  Enemies  to  God. Strange,  that 

they  can  have  theFace  to  make  the  oldPretence,  and  fay.  If 
ive  had  been  in  the  Days  of  our  Fathers^  ^we  would  not  have 
been  Partakers  with  them^  in  the  Blood  of  the  Prophets, 
Mat.  23.  30.  When  all  the  Time,  from  Age  to  Age,  they, 
have  been  ading  over  the  old  Scene. 

Rem.  3.  It  has  been  owing  wholly  and  entirely  to  the 
free  Grace  and  almighty  Power  of  God,  that  the  Church 
has  been  prefervcd^  and  true  Religion  not  driven  clean  out 
of  the  World  :  It  is  one  of  the  greatefl  Miracles  that  ever 
was  wrought. 

Rem.  4.  God  has  always  a6led  fovereignly  in  choofing 
what  Family,  Nation  or  Nations  he  would  preferve  true 
Religion  among  ^  all  being  by  Nature  equally  averfe  to 
God,  and  equally  unworthy  :  and  has  always  Siditdjujily 
in  giving  over  other  Families  and  Nations  for  their  Sin  and 
Apoftacy. 

Rem.  5.  The  whole  Scheme  of  the  divine  Condu6t  has 
been  moft  excellently  calculated  to  difplay  all  the  divine 
Perfections  to  the  bell  Advantage :  And  it  does  exhibit 
to  us  the  very  Image  of  his  Heart  in  ftrong  and  lively 
Colours.  ■\ 

But  to  proceed, 
.  Altho'  the  external  Means  of  Grace  and  remarkable  I)if- 
penfations  of  Providence  perhaps  may  in  a  Meafure  fome- 
times  reftrain  Mankind,  and  bring  them  to  a  feigned  Sub- 
mifTion  to  God  and  his  Laws  •,  yet  fuch  is  their  rooted 
Enmity  and  entire  Averlion  to  God  and  true  Religion,  that 

not 

cafion  of  Men's  being  hardened  againft  Chriftianity ;  for  they  are  very 
ready  to  fay,  God^  I  thank  thcc,  I  am  not  as  other  Men.  Like  him  in 
Luk.  18.  Doubtlefs  thefe  honejl  Heathen  would  do  as  their  Fathers  did, 
hai  they  the  Opportunity'.     So  the  honefl  Je^m  did.    See  Matt.  23. 

28.^33. 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  379 

not  one  will  hereby  be  brought  to  repent  and  fincerely  turn 
to  God.  Ffal  ^%,  34—37.  ^  81.  8—12.  Ifai.  5.  i  —  7. 
Nothing  Ihort  of  thofe  inward  Influences  of  the  Spirit, 
which  are  Almighty  &  AU-conquering,  will  efFedlually  at- 
tain the  End.  Mat.  1 1 .  20 — ^7.  Efh,  1.19.  —  And  there- 
fore befides  the  external  Means  of  Grace^  God  has  as  it  were 
taken  a»  World  of  Pains  with  one  and  another  of  Mankind 
by  the  inward  Influences  of  his  SPIRIT, — The  externalMeans 
indeed,  which  have  been  ufed,  are  more  open  to  Obferva- 
tion  •,  and  fo  alfo  is  that  external  Oppontion  which  Man- 
kind have  made  •,  but  the  fame  Ends  which  God  has  been 
purfuiing  by  the  external  Means,  viz.  to  convince  Mankind 
of  their  iinful,  guilty,  ruined  State,  and  bring  them  to  re- 
turn to  God  thro'  a  Mediator  ;  the  fame  has  he  been  pur- 
fuing,  by  the  inward  Influences  of  his  Spirit :  and  the  fame 
Oppofition  which  has  openly  appeared  againft  the  Means 
of  Grace,  has  alfo  fecretly  wrought  mightily  in  the  Hearts 
of  Men  againft  the  inward  Influences  of  the  Spirit.  Man- 
kind are  as  much  inclined  to  refill  the  Spirit,  as  they  be 
the  fVcrd  of  God,  and  that  for  the  fame  Reafon  and  from 
the  fame  Temper  -,  becaufe  both  drive  af  the  fame  Thing, 
a  Thing  moft  contrary  to  their  Corruptions. 

Perhaps  there  2xq  fome  whom  God  never  vouchfafes  at 
all  to  ftrive  with  by  his  Spirit,  and  thefe  are  ready  to  think 

there  is  no  fuch  Thing. Others^  are  a  little  awakened, 

and  from  Self- Love,  the  Fears  of  Hell,  and  the  Hopes  of 
Heaven,  they  reform  their  Lives  a  little,  and  fet  about 
fome  external  Duties,  and  fo  think  to  make  Amends  for 
their  pail  Sins,  and  recommend  themfelves  to  the  divine 
Favour ;  but  are  as  great  Enemies  as  ever  to  the  Power 
of  Religion  :  and  here  God  leaves  them  to  perifh. —  Others 
are  carried  farther,  and  becoine  more  flridl  and  painful, 
but  ilill  from  the  fame  Principles ;  and  there  they  are  left 
to  periih. —  Not  one  takes  one  Step  in  earnefl,  unlefs  he  is 
driven  to  it  •,  nor  goes  one  Step  farther  than  he  is  driven  : 
and  therefore  God  leaves  one  here,  and  another  there,  as 
feems  good  in  his  Sight.  They  do  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  their  Knowledge^  and  therefore  he  gives  them  over  to  a 

reprobate  Mind^  as  thofe  fpoken  of  mRotn.  i.  28. Some 

indeed  are  carried  very  far  by  the  common  Influences  of 

the 


380        Trnie  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II. 

the  holy  Spirit,  they  are  enlightened^  they  tafte  of  the  heavenly 
Gifty  and  of  the  Powers  of  the  World  to  come^  and  are  made 
Partakers  of  the  holy  Ghoft  •,  and  yet  after  all  fall  away^ 
and  perifh.  Heb.  6.  They  have  a  great  Senfe  of  their  finful, 
guilty,  undone  Eftate,  of  the  Wrath  of  God,  and  Dread- 
fulnefs  of  Damnation,  and  are  mightily  brought  down  ; 
and  then  have  a  great  Senfe  of  the  Mercy  of  God,  the  dy- 
ing Love  of  Chrifl,  and  the  Glory  of  Heaven  :  and  they 
think  they  are  converted,  and  they  are  ravilhed  with 
the  Thought.  However,  in  the  End,  all  is  turned  to  feed 
their  Pride  and  their  Prefumption,  and  to  harden  and  em- 
bolden them  in  Sin.  They  are  not  fo  much  afraid  of  Sin 
now,  becaufe  they  are  confident  they  fhall  never  go  to 
Hell.  And  many  Times  this  Sort  of  People,  thro'  the 
great  fweliing  of  fpiritual  Pride  and  the  immediate  Influ- 
ences of  Satan,  come  to  have  ftrange  Experiences,  and  turn 
to  be  flrange  Creatures,  and  broach  ftrange  Errors,  and 
feem  to  be  near  entirely  forfaken  by  God  and  Reafon  and 
Confcience  :  and  yet,  (yea,  and  by  the  fame  Means)  get  to 
be  the  holieJlCrt^tmts  in  the  World,  in  their  own  Account. 
—  But  while  the  Sinners  with  whom  the  holy  Spirit  ftrives, 
do  many  of  them  turn  out  after  this  Sort  -,  fome  in  one 
Way,  and  fome  in  another  ;  there  are  others  with  whom 
God  makes  thoro'  Work ;  that  is,  makes  them  thoro'ly 
underftand  and  feel  their  finful,  guilty,  helplefs,  undone 
Eftate,  and  fee  into  and  believe  the  Gofpel  Way  of  Sal- 
vation thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  return  home  to  God  in  that 
Way.  And  now  they  are  kept  by  the  Power  of  God  thro* 
Faith  unto  Salvation,  i  Pet.  1.5.  And  here  God  has  Mercy 

on   whom  he  will  have  Mercy. And  even  fo  it  has 

been  as  to  the  external  Means  of  Grace  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  World.  With  fome,  God  has  taken  more 
Pains  and  longer  ;  and  with  others,  lefs  Pains  and 
lliorter  :  but  when  all  the  reft  of  the  World  degenerated 
to  Heathenifm,  God  took  effedual  Methods  with  the 
Ifraelites  to  keep  them  from  doing  fo  too. —  And  thus,  in 
a  refembling  Manner,  he  does  with  all  the  fpiritual  Seed 
of  Abraham,  with  .his  Eled  ;  whereby  in  Spight  of  all  Op- 
pofition,  they  are  brought  to  Glory  at  laft  :  they  are  fed 
with  Manna  every  Day  :  the  PillayjDf  Cloud  by  Day,  and 


and  di/iinguijhedfrom  all  Cotmterfeils.  3  8  x 

of  Fire  by  Night,  is  their  continual  Guide  :  and  the  Rock 
which  follows  them  is  Chrift  :  i.  e.  They  are  fed  and  are 
guided,  they  Uve  and  arc  idefrefiied,  and  are  helped  to  hold 
on  their  Way,  by  continual  Influences  from  on  high,  by 
conllant  Communications  of  divine  Grace.  And  fo  the 
Path  of  the  Jutl  is  like  the  fhining  Lights  which  fmnes  more 
and  more  to  the  perfedf  Day. 

Remarks.  Never  is  any  poor  Sinner  under  the  Light 
of  theGorpel,by  God  pafTed  by, without  ever  being  awakened 
by  theHolySpirit,but  God  fees  he  is  deaf  to  the  Voice  of  his 
Word,  and  hates  to  be  awakened,  and  loves  to  go  on  le- 
cure. — Never  is  any  awakened  Sinner  forfaken  by  the  Spi- 
rit of  God,  and  left  to  take  his  own  Way,  and  run  his  own 
Ruin,  but  that  firfl  he  refiiled  and  grie^ied  the  holy  Spirit, 
and  ftifled  Convidion,  and  rent  away,  as  it  were,  out  of 
God's  Hands — And  never  is  a  poor  Sinner  favingly  bro't 
home  to  God,  and  trained  up  for  Heaven  ^  but  that,  from 
firfl  to  lafl,  it  was  abfolutely  and  entirely  owing  to  the  in- 
finite Goodnefs,  free  Grace,  and  almighty  Pov/er  of  God. 
And  indeed,  thus  will  it  appear  at  the  great  Day  of  Judg- 
ment, that  ail  who  periih  are  v/holly  to  blame,  and  all  that 
are  faved  will  have  none  to  glory  in  but  the  Lord.  —  But  I 
have  elfewhere  fo  much  infifted  upon  the  Nature  of  the  In- 
fluences of  the  holy  Spirit,  that  I  muft  not  here  enlarge. 

Thus  the  Way  to  Life  is  opened  by  Chrift  Jefus,  and  all 
are  invited  to  return  and  be  faved.  And  thus  we  fee  the 
Methods  which  God  takes  for  the  Recovery  of  a  ^\i\m\^ 
guilty  World.  And  from  all  that  has  been  faid  we  may 
draw  thefe  Inferences. 

I.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  Duty  of  poor  Sinners  to  be 
deeply  affe5ied  with  all  thefe  wonderful  Methods  of  divine 
Grace,  and  to  Strive  and  Labour  with  the  great  eft  Painfulnefs 
and  Diligence  to  fall  in  with'  the  Defign  of  the  Gofpel,  to  be 
fenfible  of  their  fmfuljguiltyjUndone  Eftate,  and  to  look  to 
the  free  Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  for  Relief,  and  to 
repent  and  return  to  God  thro'  him,  Luk,  13.  24.  Strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  fir  ait  Gate.  Some  are  of  the  Opinion,  that 
becaufe  the  beft  Sinners  can  do,  while  Enemies  to  God  in 
their  Hearts,  is,  as  to  the  Manner  of  it,  fmful  and  odious 
in  the  Eyes  of  the  divine  Holinefs,  that  therefore  their  beft 

Way 


382  True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

Way  is  to  do  nothing,  but  to  fit  flill  and  wait  for  the  Spi- 
rit. But  nothing  is  more  contrary  to  Scripture  or  Reafon. 
I^he  Scripture  fays,  Strive  to  enter  :  And  Reafon  teaches, 
that  when  the  God  of  Heaven,  the  great  Governour  of  the 
\Yorld,  is  thus  coming  out  after  guilty  Rebels  in  a  Way  of 
Mercy,  it  becomes  them  to  be  deeply  affeded  thereat,  and 
to  exert  all  their  rational  Powers  inOppoficion  to  their  Sloth 
and  Corruptions,  labouring  to  lie  open  to  the  Means  of 
Convidlion,  avoiding  every  Thing  that  tends  to  promote 
Security,  and  to  render  ineffedlual  the  Methods  of  divine 
Grace,  and  praclifmg  every  Thing  that  tends  to  their  far- 
ther Awakening.  And  O  let  this  be  remcmbred,  that  it 
is  Sinners  refilling  the  Methods  of  Grace,  which  izJaufes 
God  to  give  them^ver.  Pfal.  81.  11,  12,13.  But  my  Peo- 
ple would  not  hearken  to  my  Voice  :  and  Ifrael  would  none  of 
me.  So  I  gave  them  up  to  their  own  Hearts  Luft  :  and  they 
walked  in  their  own  Counfels.  O  that  my  People  had  hearkened 
tinto  me^  a'nd  Ifrael  had  walked  in  my  Ways  ! 

2.  From  what  has  been  faid  we  may  learn,  that  it  is 
Madnefs  and  Folly  for  poor  Sinners  to  ufe  the  Means  of 
Grace  under  a  Notion  of  doing  their  whole  Duty,  and  fo 
pacify  their  Confcience.  The  Means  of  Grace  are  defigned 
in  the  firfl  Place  to  convince  Sinners  of  their  finful,  guilty, 
ruined  State  •,  and  for  them  to  forget,  totally  forget,  this 
their  End^  and  to  go  about  to  attend  upon  them  under  a 
Notion  of  doing  that  Duty  which  they  owe  to  God,  as 
fomething  in  Lieu  of  that  perfed:  Obedience  which  the 
Law  requires,  is.  quite  to  lofe  the  Benefit  of  the  Means  of 
Grace  ;  yea,  to  thwart  their  very  Defign  :  and  tends  to 
keep  Men  from  Conviction  and  Converfion,  and  feal  them 
dov/n  in  fpiritual  Security. — That  which  God  directs  them 
to  do,  to  the  End  their  Confciences  might  be  more  awa- 
kened, they  do,  that  their  Confciences  might  be  more 
quieted.  The  Means  which  were  appointed  to  make  them 
more  fenfible  of  their  Need  of  Chriil  and  Grace,  they  ufe 
to  make  themfelves  the  more  infenfible  thereof. 

3.  Sinners  are  not  to  ufe  the  Means  of  Grace  under  a 
Notion  of  making  Amends  for  their  paft  Sins,  and  recom- 
mending themfelves  to  God  :  Rom.  10.  3.  Nor  under  a 
Notion  that  by  their  ftrongeft  Efforts  they  Ihall  be  ever  able 

to 


and  dijit7tguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  383 

to  renew  their  own  Nature  :  E-ph,  2.  i.  Nor  under  a  No- 
tion they  can  do  any  Thing  at  all  to  prevail  with  God 
to  renew  them.  Rom.  1 1.  -i^c^^  ^6. — But  on  the  contrary,  in 
the  Ufe  of  the  Means  of  Grace,  they  are  to  feek  for  and 
labour  after  a  thorough  Conviction,  that  they  can  neither 
make  any  Amends  for  their  paft  Sins,  nor  in  the  leaft  re- 
commend themfelves  to  God,  that  they  cannot  renev/  their 
own  Nature,  nor  in  thelcaft  move  God  to -fhew  them  this 
Mercy  :  to.  the  intent,that  being  thus  convinced  of  their  ru- 
ined,helplefs  State,they  may  be  prepared  to  look  to  the  free 
Mercy  and  fovereign  Grace  of  God  thro'  Chrill  for  all 
Things  :  which  is  the  very  Thing  that  the  Gofpel  aims  at. 
Rom.  3.  9. — 26.  and  which  the  Means  of  Grace  are  defign- 
ed  to  promote,  &  bring  them  to  :  and  to  which  the  Spirit 
of  God,  by  his  inward  Influences,does  in  the  Ufe  of  Means, 
finally  bring  all  who  are  faved.     Rom.  7. 8,9.  Gal.  3.  24. 

For  Sinners  to  ufe  the  Means  of  Grace  under  the  other 
Notions  aforefaid,  is  praclically  to  fay,  "  We  are  not  fallen, 
*'  finfuj,  guiky,helplefs,  undone  Creatures,  nor  do  we  need 
"  theRedeemer  or  the  San6lifier,  which  God  has  provided, 
*'  nor  do  we  lie  at  his  Mercy,  or  intend  to  be  beholden  to 
"  his  mere  fovereign  Grace.  If  v/e  have  finned,  we  can 
"  make  ^Amends  for  it :  if  we  have  difpleafed  Godjwe  can 
''  pacify  him  again.  If  v/e  are  Wicked,  we  can  become 
*'  Good  :  or  if  we  do  as  well  as  we  can,and  then  want  any 
"  further  Help,  God  is  obliged  to  help  us." 

If  therefore  Sinners  would  take  the  wifeft  Courfe  to  be 
the  better  for  the  Ufe  of  the  Means  of  Grace,  they  muft 
try  to  fall  in  with  God's  Defign,  and  with  the  Spirit's  In- 
fluences, and  labour  to  fee  and  feel  their  finful,  guilty  ^con- 
demned, helplefs,  undone  Eftate.  For  this  End,  they  mull 
forfake  vain  Company,  leave  their  Quarelling  and  Conten- 
tion, drop  their  inordinate  worldly  Purfuits,  and  abandon 
every  Thing  which  tends  to  keep  them  fecure  in  Sin  and 
quench  the  Motions  of  the  Spirit ;  and  for  this  End  mud 
they  read,  hear,  meditate  and  pray,  compare  themfelves 
with  God's  holy  Law^  try  to  view  themfelves  in  the  fame 
Light  that  God  does,  and  pals  the  fame  Judgment  upon 
•  themfelves  :  that  fo  they  may  be  in  a- Way  to  approve  of 
'the  Law,  and  to  admire  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel,  to  judge 
*•■  ?ni 


384       True  Religion  delineated        D  i  s .  IL 

and  condemn  dicmfelvcs,  and  humbly  to  apply  to  the  free 
Grace  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chriil  for  all  Things,  and  thro' 
Him  to  return  to  God. 

Thus  we  have  gone  thro'  what  was  propofcd  under  this 
third  general  Head  :  We  have  confidered  the  Neceility 
there  was  of  Satisfadlion  for  Sin,  and  of  aperfedRightcouf- 
nefs  :  We  have  confidered  what  Satistaclion  for  Sin  has 
been  made,  and  what  a  Righteoufnefs  wrought  out,  and 
wherein  their  Sufficiency  confifts  :  We  have  confidered 
how  the  Way  of  Life  has  been  opened  by  the  Means :  and 
we  have  confidered  what  Methods  God  has  actually  entered 
upon,  for  the  Recovery  of  loft  Sinners  to  himfelf. —  And 
thus  now  upon  the  whole  we  fee,  upon  what  Grounds  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World  confidered  Mankind  as  be- 
ing in  a  perifhing  Condition,  and  whence  his  Defigns  of 
Mercy  originally  took  their  Rife,  and  what  Necefiity  there 
was  for  a  Mediator  and  Redeemer,  and  how  the  Way  to 
Life  has  been  opened  by  Him  whom  God  has  provided  : 
and  fo  may  now  pafs  to  the  next  Thing  propofed. 

Section    VIL 

Shewing  the  Nature  of  a  genuine  Compli- 
ance with  the  Gospel. 

IV.  To  fhew  the  true  "Nature  of  a  facing  Faith  in  Chrift. 
And  becaufe  by  the  Whole,  I  am  to  explain  the  Nature  of 
the  Gofpel,  and  of  a  genuine  Compliance  therewith,  there- 
fore I  will  begin  with  a  more  general  View  of  Things,  and 
afterwards  proceed  to  a  more  diftin6t  Survey  of  Faith  in 
particular. 

NOW,  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel,  in  gene- 
ral, confifts  in  a  fpiritual  and  divine  SigfW:  and  Senfe  of  the 
great  Truths  therein  prefuppofed  and  revealed  •,  and  in  a 
firm  Behefof  thofe  Truths,  and  an  anfwerable  Frame  of 
Heart.  As  is  evident  from  2  Cor,  4.  3,4?6»  i  '^W-  2.  I3' 
Mat.  13.  23.  Joh.  8.  32. 

'Tis  divine  Light  imparted  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  the 
Soul,  which  lays  the  Foundation  of  all.  Mat.  11.25.  Gal.' 
I,  16,  2  CQr.  3,  J 8.  This ffirUual ^i^^  divim  Li^ht  ^ccoi' 

•    dmg 


and  diJlinguiJJjedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  385 

ding  to  the  Language  of  St,  Pauh  Jhines  in  the  Hearty  and 
coniifts  in  i\\c  Knoiv ledge  of  GLORT^  2  Cor.  4.  6.  That  is, 
in.a  Senfd.oi'  moral  Beauty,  a  to/^ of  that  Beauty  there 
is'in  the  moraj.  PcRFECTiONSof  GOD,andi|i  all  fpirirual 
and  divine  Things,  that  holy  Beauty  which  is  peculiar 
to  Ipintual  and  divine  and  holy  Things,  of,  which  every 
ujwoly  Heart  is  pcrfedly  infenfible.  i  Job.  1.3.  6.  And 
by  u]  Things  are  made  to  appear,  to  us  in  a  Meafure  as  they 
do  to  God  himfelf,  and  to  the  Angels  &  Saints  in  Heaycr>,, 
And  fo  by  //,  we  are  made  to  change  our  Minds,  and  are 
brought  to  be  of  God's  Mind  concerning  Things.  And 
io  we  are  hereby  difpofed  to  underftand,  believe,  entertaia 
and  embrace  the  Gofpel.  Job.  8.  47, 

GOD  the  great  Goveraour  of  the  World,  who  fees  all 
Things  as  being  what  they  are,  does  in  the  Gofpel  confi- 
der  Mankind  2is  per iJJjing^  as  fallen,  iinful,  guilty,  juftly; 
condemned,  helplefs  and  undone.  He  looks  upon  .th^, 
original  Conftitution  with  yidam  asholry,juft  and  good  j 
and  that  by  and  according  to  that  Conftitution,  he  might: 
have  damned  the  whole  human  Race,  confiftent  with  his. 
Goodnefs,  and  to  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs  and  Juftice  ; 
He  looks  upon  the  Law  of  Nature  as  holy,  juft  and  good  -, 
and  that  by  and  according  to  that,  he  might  damn  a  guilty 
World,  confiftent  with  his  Goodnefs,  and  to  the  Honour  of 
his  Holinefs  and  Juftice.  Now  by  this  divim  Light  we  are 
brought  to  look  upon  Things  as  God  does,  and  to  have 
an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart. 

Again,  GOD  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  v/fec^ 
fees  all  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  does  in  the  Goipel 
confider  a  guilty  World  as  lying  at  his  Mercy,  I-^  faw 
that  he  was  under  no  Obligations  to  pity  them  in  the  leaft, 
orintheleaft  to  mitigate  their  Puniihnient :  much  lefe. 
under  any  Obligations  to  give  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whofoever  believes  in  him,  Ihould  not  periih,  but  have  ever- 
lafting  Life :  and  fliill  much  lefs  under  any  ObHgationv 
by  his  holy  Spirit  to  fubdue  and  recover  fuch  obftinate  Re- 
bels, who  hate  him  and  his  Soii,  his  Law  and  his  GofpeU 
and  are  perfectly  averfe  to  a  Return.  He  faw  a  guilty 
World  lie  at  his  Mercy  ;  and  that  he  was  at  Liberty  to 
have  Mercy  or  not  to  have  Mercy,  according^ to  his  fover: 

C   c  reigti 


386  "Irue  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

reign  Pleafure ;  and  that  it  was  fit  &  becoming  his  glorious 
Majefty  to  adlas  a  Sovereign  in  this  Affair.  And  now  by 
this  divine  Light  we'  are  brought  to  look  upon  Things  as 
God  does,  and  to  have  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart. 

Again,  GOD  the  greatGovernour  of  the  World,  who 
fe'es  all  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  at  the  fame  Time 
that  he  defigns  Mercy  for  a  guilty  World,  does  confider  a 
Mediator  as  being  necelTary  to  anfwer  the  Demands  of  the 
broken  LaWj  and  fecurethe  divine  Honour.  In  fuch  a 
'pBrijhing  Condition  he  fees  Mankind ;  fo  guilty,  fo  juftly 
condemned,  that  it  would  be  inconfiftent  with  the  divine 
Perfediions,  and  contrary  to  all  good  Rules  of  Government, 
to  pardon  &  fave  fuchwickedHell-defervingRebels,without 
fome  proper  Atonement  for  their  Sin  and  fuitable  Honour 
done  to  his  Law.  But  the  Honour  of  his  Holinefs  and 
Juilice,  Law  and  Government  is  facred  in  his  Eyes,  and  of 
infinite  Importance,  and  muft  be  maintained  :  better  the 
whole  World  be  damned  than  they  in  the  leaft  be  fullied. 
And  now  by  this  divine  Light  we  are  brought  to  look  upon 
Things  as  God  does,  and  to  have  an  anfwerable  Frame  ot 
Heart.  '.':.. ^^i. 

Moreover,  GODthe  great  Governour  of  theWorld,who 
fees  ail  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  view^s  his  only  be- 
gotten Son  as  a  meet  Ferfon  for  a  Mediator,  and  himfelf 
as  having  fufHcient  Power  to  authorize  him  to  the  Work. " 
Of  his  fovereign  Self-moving  Goodnefs,  he,  in  his  infinite .' 
Wifdom,  contrives  the  whole  Scheme,  lays  the  whole  Plan, 
and  puts  his  Defign  in  Execution  •,  the  Door  of  Mercy  is 
opened,  the  News  of  Pardon  and  Peace  is  fent  thro'  a  guilty 
World,-  and  all  are  invited  to  return  home  to  God  thro* 
Jefus  Chnft  :  and  God  looks  upon  this  Way  of  Salvation 
as  being  glorious  for  God,  and  fafe  for  the  poor  Sinner. 
And  now  by  this  divine  Light  we  are  brought  rightly  to 
underftand  thefe  1  hings,  and  look  upon  them  as  God  does, 
and  believe  them^Sc  to  have  an  anfwerableFrame  ofHeart. 
r-.Laftl)\  GOD  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  does, 
in  the  Gofpel,  confider  our  return  unto  him  thro'  Jefus 
Chrift,  not  only  as  a  Duty  to  which  we  are  under  infinite 
Obligations,  but  alfo  as  a  Priviledgg  of  infinite  Value  ;  and' 
la  thi^  View  of  the  Cafe,  he  commands  and  invites  us  to. re- 
turn. 


and  dijiingiijjhed  from  all  Counterfeits.   387 

turn.  And  now  by  this  divim  Light  we  are  brought  to  look 
upon  this  alfo  as  God  does,  and  to  judge  it  the  fitted  and 
bappieft  Thing  in  the  World  to  return  unto  him  thro*  Jefus 
Chrifr,  and  to  have  an  anfwerable  Frame  of  Heart.     For, 

By  this  Light -^t  come  to  have  a  right  View  of  the  moft 
high  GOD,  to  fee  him  in  a  Meafure  as  the  Angels  and 
Saints  in  Heaven  do,  to  fee  him  in  his  infinite Greatnefs  and 
Maielly,  and  in  the  infinite  Glory  and  Beauty  of  hisNature. 
Arid  hence  we -are  made  fenfible  that  he  is  infinitely  worthy 
of  the  higheft  Efteem,  Reverence,  Love,  Delight,  and  of 
univerfai  Obedience.  And  hence  v/e  fee  that  we  in  parti- 
cular are  under  infinite  Obligations  to  love  him  with  all 
our  Hearts,  and  obey  him  in  every  Thing — and  that  to  do 
fo,  is  the  happieft  Thing  in  the  World — that  not  to  do  {Oy 
is  infinitely  wrong —  and  deferves  an  infinite  Punifhment. 
And  thus  v^e  fee  the  Grounds  of  the  Law  of  Nature,  the 
Reafons  from  whence  it  refults,  and  with  all  our  Hearts 
confent  to  it  and  approve  of  it  as  holy,  juft  and  good.  And 
this  naturally  lays  the  Foundation  for  us  rightly  to  under- 
Hand  and  heartily  to  approve  of  the  original  Conftitution 
with  Adam. — And  while  we  behold  God  in  his  infinite 
Glory,  and  view  the  Law  as  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  fee 
our  infinite  Obligations  perfedlly  to  conform  unto  it :  now 
our  univerfai  Depravity  and  infinite  ill  Defert  appears  in  a 
clear  &  divineLight.  Hence  it  appears, we  lie  atMercy,and 
that  it  is  fit  he  fiiould  haveMercy  on  whom  he  will,  that  it 
becomes  theMajefty  of  Heaven  to  a6t  as  aSovereign  in  this 
Affair.  And  it  appears,  that  there  is  no  Motive  in  us  to 
excite  his  Compaffions  \  but  infinitely  to  the  contrary :  and 
hence  the  Heart  is  prepared  to  difcern  the  Freenefs  of  di- 
vine Grace,  and  to  perceive  that  the  Goodnefs  of  the  divine- 
Nature  muft  be  felt-moving  •,  and  alfo  to  underftand  the 
Need  there  is  of  a  Mediator  to  fecure  the  divine  Honour  : 
for  Creatures  fo  bad  appear  too  vile  to  be  relieved,  unlefs 
Juftice  may  firft  be  fatisfied ;  'tis  contrary  toLaw,and  con- 
trary to  Reafon  that  they  fhould.  —  And  while  we  view 
thefe  Things,  and  have  a  divine  Senfe  of  them  on  our 
Hearts,  we  are  hereby  prepared  to  underftand  the  Way  of 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  as  revealed  in 
the  Gofpel.     And  now  a  Senfe  of  the  glorigus  Freenefs  of 

C  c  2  divine 


388  *True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  II, 

divine  Grace,  the  Excellency  and  Sufficiency  of  Chrift,  and 
the  readinefs  of  God  to  be  reconciled  to  returning  Sinners 
thro'  him,  lays  the  Foundation  for  Faith  and  Hope.  *  — 
And  all  this  while,  there  is  fecretly  enkindling  in  theHeart, 
a  moft  genuine  Difpofition  to  return  home  to  God,  to  love 
him  and  live  to  him,  arifing  from  a  Senfe  of  the  ineffable 
Glory  and  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature  :  for  he  appears  glo- 
rious in  Holinefs,  Juilice,  Goodnefs  and  Grace  ;  and  glo- 
rious in  his  Sovereignty  and  in  his  Majefty,  as  fupreme 
Lord  and  high  Governour  of  the  whole  World.  —  Upon 
the  whole,  with  utmoll  Solemnity,  as  being  in  our  felvcs 
infinitely  unfit  for  the  divine  Favour,  we  venture  our  eter- 
nal All  upon  Jefus  Chrifl  as  Mediator^xtXym^  on  hisWorth 
and  Merits,and  trufling  to  the  mere  free  Mercy  of  God  thro' 
him  for  Pardon  and  Grace  and  Glory,  and  hence  are  en- 
couraged and  emboldened  with  our  whole  Hearts  to  return 
home  to  God  thro'  him,  and  give  up  our  felves  to  God  for 
ever,  to  love  him  and  live  to  him,  and  live  upon  him  for 
ever,  lamenting  that  ever  we  finned  againft  him,  refolving 
to  cleave  to  him  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  never,  never  to 
depart  from  him.  Heb,  4.  16.  ^  lo.  19 — 22.  Eph.  2.18. 
Job.  14.  6.  Rom,  3.  24,  25,  26.— And  thus,  hy  t\\\s  divine 
Lights  imparted  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  the  Soul  finally 
brought  to  unite  to  Chrift  by  Faith,  and  to  return  home  to 
God  thro'  him.  Joh.  6.  44,45.  No  Man  can  come  to  mCy 
except  the  Father  draw  him. — l^hey  jJoall  he  all  taught  of  God, 
Every  ^ian  therefore  that  hath  heard  'and  learned  of  the  Fa- 

ther^ 

*  All  thefe  Things  (altho'  it  takes  confiderablc  Time  to  exprefs  them  in 
order)  may,  for  S-ibllance,  inllaniiy  open  to  View,  and  the  Soul  im* 
Tnediately  acquiefce  in  the  Gofpel  Scheme  and  clofe  with  Chrift  ;  in" 
fimtiy,  I  fay,  upon  DIVINE  LIGHT's  being  imparted  to  the  Soul. 
But  the  Mind,  in  that  folemn  and  awful  Hour,  may  efpecially  fix  only 
upon  fome  Particulars  ;  and  fo  a  Remembrance  of  tliefe  may  remain, 
while  other  Particulars,  which  were  then  in  View,  can't  afterAvards 
fce  recollected.  Hence,  fome  may  doubt  whether  their  firji  A^  of 
Tffith  was  right.  The  bell  Way,  to  remove  fuch  Fears,  is  to  live  in 
the  Exercife  of  Faith  every  Day.  For  when  thefe  Views,  and  a  conf- 
cioufnefs  of  them,  become  habitual,  our  Scruples  will  ceafe  of  Courfe. 
The  fpecial  Nature  of  our  Taith  may  be  learnt  from  the  after  ASs, 
as  well  as  by  i\itfrji  ASl ;  for  the  after  ASfs  will  be  of  the  fame  Na- 
■  tBr«-w«h  thc/r/?,  let  our  Faith  be  true  or  falfc.  , 


and  dijltnguiped from  all  Counterfeits.  389 

ther^  cometh  unto  me.  And  from  what  has  been  faid  con- 
cerning the  Nature  of  the  Gofpel,  it  is  Self-evident,  that 
herein  confifts  a  genuine  CompUance  therewith.  For  all 
this  is  only  to  fee  Things  as  being  what  they  are,  and  to  be 
affedled  and  aft  accordingly. 

Remark  i.  This  is  pecuHar  to  a  genuine  Compliance 
with  the  Gofpel,  and  that  whereby  it  is  fpecifically  diffe- 
rent from  all  Counterfeits,  namely,  it's  being  founded  in, 
and  refulting  from,  this  divine  Light  ;  whereby  we  are 
brought,  not  merely  in  Speculation,  but  in  Heart,  to  look 
upon  Things  as  God  does.  He  fees  all  Things  as  they  are  5 
and  therefore  when  any  poor  Sinner  is  brought  to  a  right 
View  of  Things,  i.  e,  to  fee  them  as  they  are^  he  mull  by 
Confequence  look  upon  them  as  God  does.  Now  all  others 
being  blind  and  ignorant  in  Scripture  Account,  hence  this 
true  Sight  and  Senfe  of  Things  is  very  peculiar  and  diftin-r 
guifhing.  And  hence  we  may  obfei*ve,  that  it  is  mentioned 
as  being  peculiar  to  the  Good-Ground-Hearers,  in  Mat, 
13.25.  "That  they  heard  the  Word  and  understood/^.  And 
Chrift  intimates  that  none  but  his  true  Difciples  know  the 
Truth.  Joh.  8.  31,  32.  AndtheGofpel  isagain&  again 
faid  to  he  hid  from  all  others.  Mat.  i  j.  25.  2  Cor,  4.  3. 
And  they  only  have  it  revealed  unto  them.  M2/.11.25, 
They  only  have  the  Vail  taken  off  from  their  Hearts.  2  Cor, 
3.14 — 17.  And  they  only /^^M5w?V^  OPEN  Face.  Ver.  18. 

2.  This  fpiritual  and  divine  Light  lays  the  Foundation 
for  a  new  Kind  of  Belief  of  the  Gofpel.  A  Sight  of  the 
divine  Beauty  and  Glory  of  the  Gofpel  Scheme,  convinces 
and  affures  the  Heart  that  it  is  divine,  apd  indeed  from 
God,  and  not  a  cunningly  devifed  Fable.  This  is  an  Evi- 
dence peculiar  to  the  Regenerate,  and  of  all  others  it  i? 
unfpeakably  the  moft  fatisfaftory.  See  this  largely  ex- 
plained and  proved  in  Mr,  Edwards'" s  Treatife  on  religious 
Affedions.  Page.,  182 — 199. 

3.  Regeneration,  Faith,  Repentance  and  Converfion  are 
in  their  own  N?ture  connedted  together,  and  fo  they  are 
in  this  Reprefentation.  In  Regeneration  we  receive  this  di- 
vine Light,  this  nt5w  fpiritual- Senfe  of  Things. .  Our  Eyes 
are  opened,  and  we  are  brought  out  of  Darknefs  into  this 
mrvellous  Light ,  and  fo  come  to  have  a  right  View  of 

C  c  3      ^  Ggd,^ 


390        T^riie  Religion  deli?teated      Dis.  II. 

God,  of  our  Selves,  of  Chrifl,-  and  of  the  Gofpel  Way  of 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  him. —  This  Ipiritual  Illumi- 
nation lays  the  Foundation  for  Faith,  Repentance  and  Con- 
verfion.  It  difcovers  the  Grounds  of  Faith,  of  Repentance 
and  Converfion  ;  and  we  believe,  we  repent  and  convert. 
Repentance  towards  God^  and  Faith  towards  our  Lord  'Jefus 
Chriji ^dX'^zys  go  together.  A£i,  20.  21.  And  theGofpei  calls 
Sinners  to  repent  and  be  converted^  as  well  as  to  belie've  in 
Chrift.^^.  3.  19.  Thofe  therefore  who  feem  to  have  much 
Ught  2.nA  Faith  2inA  Joy,  but  have  no  Repentance,  nor  do 
turn  to  God  with  all  their  Hearts,  are  deluded. 

4.  Spiritual  Light  and  true  Faith  arc  always  in  Propor- 
tion. A  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God,  of  ourSelves,  of  Chrift, 
and  of  the  Gofpel  Way  of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro' 
him,  lays  the  Foundation  for  Faith  ;  and  Faith  naturally 
refults  therefrom  y  as  has  be;n  obferved,  and  as  is  evident 
from  Jch.  6.  45.  And  therefore  from  the  Nature  of  the 
Cafe,  they  mult  be  in  equal  Degree  in  the  Heart.  And 
therefore  thofe  who  pretend  to  live  by  Faith,  when  they 
are  fpiritualiy  blind  and  dead,  do  but  deceives  thcmfelves. 
Nor  is  what  they  plead  from  Ifai.  50  10.  at  all  to  the 
Purpofe  :  ^ho  is  among  you  that  feareth  the  Lord^  that 
obeyeih  the  Voice  of  his  Ser'vant,  that  ivalketh  in  Darknefs  and 
hath  no 'Light  ?  Let  him  truji  in  the  Lord,  and  pay  upon  his 
G(?^.'  "Bccaufe.  i.  The  Eerlbns  here  fpoken  of  were  not 
fpiritualiy  blind  and  dead,  but  had  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God 
and  divine  Things  on  their  Hearts  -,  for  they  feared  the 
Lord  and  obeyed  his  Voice ;  fo  that  they  lived  in  the  Exer- 
cife  of  Grace,  and  walked  in  the  Ways  of  Hoiinels, 
v/hich  without  fpiritual  Light  had  been  im.pofiiblc.  And 
■—  2.  What  they  were  in  the  Dark  about,  was,  how  or  by 
what  Means  the  Children  of  Jfrael  fliouid  ever  be  brought 
cut  of  thtSabylonifo  Captivity,  back  again  to  Zion  -,  v/hich 
they  knew  God  had  promifed,  but  they  could  fee  no  Way 
wherein  it  could  be  brought  "about.  In  this  Refpeft  they 
•ivalhd  in  Darknefs  and  could  fee  no  Light,  and  therefore 
they  arc  exhorted  to  put  their  "iVufi  in  the  Lord,  whofe 
Wiidom,  Power  and  Faithfulnefs  are  infinite.  This  is 
evidently  the  meaning  of  the  Words,  as  is  manifeft  froni 
JiC  Scope  and  Tcnour  of  the  Frophet's  Pifcourfc  tfiro'  all 

the 


and  diliinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits,   391 

the  ten  preceeding  Chapters,  which  was  calculated  for  the 
Support  and  Comfort  of  the  Godly  in  the  Rabylonifh  Cap- 
tivity, by  afTuring  theni  of  a  Return.  *  Nor  what  is-fai4 
about  Ji?rahamy  that  againft  Hepe^he  helievedin  Hope, — * 
Nor  what  is  faid  by  St.  Paul^  We  walk  by  Faith  and  not  by 
Sights—  any  Thing  to  their  Purpofe :  unlefs  they  fuppofe, 
that  Abraham  and  Paul^  and  the  primitive  Chriflians  in 
general,  were  as  dead  and  blind  and  carnal  as  themfelves, 
. — The  Truth  is,  that  this  blind  Faith  is  the  very  fam^ 
Thing,  which  the  Apoftle  James  calls  a  dead  Faith, 

5.  Evangelical  Humiliation  and  true  Faith  are  likewife 
always  in  Proportion,  Evangelical  Humiliation  confifts 
in  a  Senfe  of  our  own  Smfulnefs,  Vilenefs,  Odioufnefs  and 
Ill-Defert,  andinaDiipofition  thence  refulting  to  lie  down 
in  the  Duft  full  of  Self-loathing  and  Self- abhorrence,  abafed 
before  the  Lord,  really  accounting  our  felves  infinitely  too 
bad  ever  to  venture  to  come  into  the  divine  Prefence  in  our 
own  Names,  or  to  have  a  Thought  of  Mercy  from  God 
on  the  Account  of  our  own  Goodnefs.  And  it  is  this 
v/hich  makes  us  fenfible  of  our  Need  of  a  Mediator,  and 
makes  us  defire  to  be  found  not  in  our  felves  but  in  Chriil, 
not  having  on  our  own  Righteoufnefs  but  his.  No  farther 
therefore  than  thefe  Views  and  this  Temper  prevails  in  us, 
ihall  we  truly  difcern  any  Need  of  Chrift,  or  be  heartily 
inclined  to  have  any  Reiped  to  him  as  a  Mediator  betweea 
God  and  us,  There  can  therefore  be  no  more  of  true 
Faith  in  Exercife  than  there  is  of  this  true  Humility, 
When  Men  therefore  appear  righteous  in  their  own  Eyes, 
and  look  upoQ  themfelves  as  dcferving  well  at  the  Hands 

C  c  4  of 

*  The  three  firft  Verfes  of  the  next  Chapter,  [Ifai.  51.  i,  3,  3.)  do,  I 
think,  confirm  the  above  Interpretation  of  Ifai.  50.  10.  Altho'  I 
Doubt,not,  the  Prophet's  Difcourfe,  thro'  the  abovefaid  ten  Chapters, 
has  a  farther  Look  to  the  MeJJiahh  Kingdom,  and  our  Redemption 
out  oi  myftical  Babylon,  But  let  theWords  be  confidered  in  eitherView, 
or  only  confidered  in  themfelves  abfolutely,  'tis  plain,  they  never  were 
defigned  to  comfprt6'/(7»)/-Gro«WHearers,  when  theirReligion  is  all  worn 
out,&  they  become  dead.blind  &  carnal-,  and  fo  full  ofDoubts  &  Fears : 
Nor  do  they  mean  to  embolden  fuch  ^*  firmly  to  believe  they  are  in  a 
"  goodEflate,tho'  ever  fo  nmch  in  theDark.  i  e.  Tho'theyfee  noGracs 
"  in  then-  Hearts,  nor  Signs  of  any :"  For  the  Words  are  direded  oul^ 
19  thofc  ^vhofear  th  Lord^  and  okev  the  Foici  ofibis  Ser^janL 


39?        True .Religim  delineated       Dis.  II. 

of  God  on  the  Account  of  their  own  Goodnefsjthey  can  feel 
no  Need  of  a  Mediator,  nor  at  Heart  have  any  Refpecl  to 
Chriil  under  that  Characlier.  Luk.^,^T. —  This  condemns 
the  Faith  of  the  Self-righteous  Formdift^  who  depends  upon 
his  being  confcientious  in  his  Ways,  and  upon  his  finccrely 
endeavouring  to  do  as  well  as  he  can,  to  recommend  him 
to  God.  And  this  condemns  alfo  the  Faith  of  the  proud 
Enihufiafiy  who  appears  fo  Good  in  his  own  Eyes,  lb  far 
from  a  legal  Spirit,  fo  purely  Evangelical,  fo  full  of  Light 
and  Knowledge,  Humility  and  Love,  Zeal  and  Devotion, 
as  that  irom  a  Senfe  of  his  own  Goodnefs,  and  how  greatly 
beloved  he  is  in  the  Sight  of  God,  he  is  encouraged,  and 
elevated,  and  teels  greatly  emboldned  to  come  into  the 
Prefence  of  God,  and  draw  near,  and  come  even  to  his 
Seat,  and  ufe  Famiharity  and  Boldnefs  with  God,  as  tho' 
iie  was  almofl  an  Equal.  Such  are  fo  far  from  any  true 
Senfe  of  their  Need  of  Chrift,  as  that  they  rather  feel  more 
fit  to  be  Mediators  &  Interceifors  in  Behalf  of  others,  than 
to  want  one  for  themfelves.  And  it  is  the  Way  of  fuch, 
.from  that  great  Senfe  they  have  of  their  own  Goodnefs, 
to  make  bold  with  God,  and  to  make  bold  with  Chrift, 
m  the;r  Prayers,  as  if  they  felt  themfelves  pretty  nigh  upon 
a  Level. — Of  all  Men  in  the  World,  I  am  ready  to  think, 
that  God  looks  upon  thefe  the  worif,  and  hates  them  the 
moit.  Luk.  18.9 — 14.  Ifai.  6^.  5.  But  did  they  know  it, 

ihey  would   hate  him  as  entirely  as  he  does  them. 

Hypocrites  of  all  Sorts  fail  in  this  Point  ;  they  fee  no  real 
Need  of  Chriil ;  they  are  not  fo  bad,  but  that  to  their  own 
.Senfe  and  Feeling,  they  might  be  pardoned  and  laved  by 
the  free  Mercy  of  God,  without  any  Mediator.  Hence 
they  do  not  underiland  the  Gofpel,  'tis  all  Foolillinefs  to 
them.   I  Cor,  2.  14. 

6.  It  is  a  fpiritual  Senfe  and  firm  Belief  of  the  Truths 
of  the  Gofpel,  v/hich  encourages  the  Heart  to  truft  inChrift. 
Job.  6.  45.  That  the  Goodnefs  of  God  is  infinite,  and 
I'elf-moving  :  that  Chrift,  as  Mediator,  has  fecured  the 
Honour  of  God  the  moral  Governour  of  the  World,  and 
ppep.ed  a  Way  for  the  free  and  iionourabie  Exercifc  of  his 
Griice  :  that  thro'  Chrift,  God  the  fupreme  Governour  of 
the  World  is  actually  ready  to  be  J^econciled,  and  invites 

all, 


and  difimguijbed from  allCounterfeits.   393 

all,  the  vilefl  not  excepted,  to  return  to  him  in  this  Way. 
Thefe  Truths,  being  fpiritually  underflood  and  firmly  be- 
lieved, convince  the  Heart  of  the  Safety  of  trufting  ia 
Chrift,  and  encourage  it  fo  to  do.  Ueh,  i b.  1 9.  Mat,  22.4. 

7.  Saving  Faith  confifts  in  that  entire  Truft,  Reliance, 
or  Dependance  on  Jefus  Chrifl  the  great  Mediator,  his  Sa- 
tisfadion  and  Merits,  Mediation  and  Interceffion,  which 
the  humbled  Sinner  has,  whereby  he  is  enibolden'd  to  re- 
turn home  to  God  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance,  and  is  encou- 
raged to  look  to  and  trull  in  God  thro'  him  for  that  com- 
pleat  Salvation  which  is  offered  in  the  Gofpel.—  The  op- 
pofite  to  juftifying  Faith,  is  a  fclf-righteous  Spirit  &  Tem- 
per, whereby  a  Man,  from  a  Conceit  of  and  Reliance  upon 
his  own  Goodnefsj  is  emboldened  and  encouraged  to  truft 
and  hope  in  the  Mercy  of  God.  Heb.  10.  19.  23.  Luk.i'^. 
9 — 14.  And  accordingly, when  fuchfee  how  bad  they  really 
are,  their  Faith  fails,  they  naturally  think  that  God  can't 
find  in  his  Heart  to  (hew  Mercy  to  fuch. 

8.  Faith  emboldens  the  Heart.  In  a  legal  Humiliation, 
which  is  antecedent  to  fpiritual  Light,  the  Sinner  is  brought 
to  a  Kind  of  Defpair  :  The  1  hings,  which  ufed  to  embol- 
den him,  do  now  entirely  fail :  He  finds  no  Good  in  him- 
ielf ;  yea,  he  feels  himfelf  dead  in  Sin  •,  and  upon  this,  his 
Heart  dies  within  him.  /  iias  alive  without  the  Law  once ; 
but  when  the  Commandme?it  came.  Sin  revived^  and  I  diedy 
Rom.  7.9.  And  by  fpiritual  Light,  in  evangelical  Hu- 
miliation, his  undone  Eilate  in  and  of  himfelf  is  made  ftill 
more  plain. — But  now  Faith  emboldens  the  Heart,  begets 
new  Courage,  lays  the  Foundation  for  a  new  Kind  of  Hope, 
a  Hope  fpringing  entirely  from  a  new  Foundation.  Heb. 
10. 1 9.  Having  therefore  Brethren,BOLDN^ss  to  enter  iftto  the 
Holiejlyby  the  Blood  of  Jefus. — Let  us  draw  near  with  a  true 
Heart  trifullAffurance  of  Faith. — ByFaiththeHeart  is  embol- 
dened— I .  T!o  return  home  to  God  in  Hopes  of  Acceptance.  A 
fpiritual  Sight  and  Senfe  of  the  ineffable  Beauty  of  the  di- 
vine Nature,  begets  a  Difpofition  to  look  upon  it  the  fitteft 
and  happieft  Thing  in  the  World,  to  love  God  with  all  the 
Heart,  and  be  entirely  devoted  to  him  for  ever ;  and  inkin- 
dles  an  Inclination  to  return  and  everlaftingly  give  up  and 
confecrate  our  feives  unto  him.     ^'  But  may  fvich  a  Wretch 

as 


394  'T7^ue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

as  I  be  the  Lord's  ?  Will  he  accept  me  ?"  Now  the  Be- 
liever, underftanding  the  Way  of  Acceptance  by  Chriil, 
and  feeing  the  Safety  of  it,  ventures  his  All  upon  this  fure 
Foundation,  and  hereby  is  emboldened  to  return.  Heb. 
II.  6.  He  that  cometh  to  God  mufi  believe  that  he  is,  and 
that  he  is  a  Rewarder  of  them  that  diligently  feek  him.  i.  e. 
firft,  He  muft  fee  what  God  is,  behold  him  in  his  Glory, 
or  he  can't  in  a  genuine  Manner  defire  to  come  to  him  : 
and  fecondly,  He  muft  fee  that  he  is  ready  to  be  reconciled 
unto  and  to  fave  thofe,  that  from  a  genuine  Defire  to  be  his, 
do  heartily  return  to  him  thro'  the  Mediator  he  has  ap- 
pointed ;  or  elfe  he  will  not  dare  to  come.  But  when  both 
thefe  are  feen  and  believed,  now  the  Soul  will  return  and 
come,  and  give  up  it  felf  to  God,  to  be  the  Lord's  for 
ever.  —  2 .  Faith  in  Chrift  emboldens  the  Heart  to  look  ro 
and  truft  in  the  free  Grace  of  God  thro'  him,  for  allThings 
that  juft  fuch  a  poor  Creature  wants,  even  for  all  Things 
offered  irrthe  Gofpel  to  poor  Sinners.  Heb.  4.  16.  Let  us 
therefore  come  boldly  to  the  'Throne  of  Grace,  that  we  may 
obtain  Mercy  and  find  Grace,  Pardoning  Mercy  and  fandli- 
fying  Grace  are  the  two  great  Benefits  of  the  new  Cove- 
nant :  and  thefe  are  the  two  great  Thino;s  which  an  in- 
lightned  Soul  feels  the  want  of,  and  for  which  he  is  em- 
boldened to  come  to  God  by  Jefus  Chrift. — -  /  will  be  to 
them  a  God,  and  they  fJoall  be  to  me  a  People,  faith  the  Lord 
in  the  new  Covenant  :  and  this  is  all  my  Salvatian,  and  all 
my  Bejire,  faith  the  Believer. 

9.  The  Word  Faith  in  Scripture  is  evidently  u fed 
in  various  Senfes.  Or  thus,  there  are  various  different 
Exercifes  of  a  godly  Soul,  all  which  in  Scripture  are  called 
Faith.  For  I  mean  here  to  leave  out  all  thofe  Sorts  of 
Faith  fpoken  of  in  Scripture,  which  the  unregenerate  Mah 
is  capable  of.  —  i .  It  is  the  Way  of  godly  Men  to  live 
under  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God,  his  Being  and  Perfedlions, 
and  Government  of  the  World,  and  the  Glory,  Reality  and 
Importance  of  divine  and  eternal  Things  :  even  under 
fuch  a  living  Senfe  of  thele  Things,  as  that  they  zxt  firmly 
believed,  and  are  made  to  influence  them  as  tho'  they  were 
feen.  Hence  they  are  faid  to  look  at  Things  which  are  un- 
feenJ  2  Cor.  4,  1 8.  To  fee  him  whQ  is  invifible.  Heb.  11.27. 

And 


and  difiinguijhed from  allCouitterfeits.  39.5 

And  are  faid  to  walk  3j;Faith.  2  Cor.  p^.^.  And  this  feems 
to  be  the  Meanmg  of  the  Word  Faith,  as  it  is  ufed  in 
Heb.  II.  where  we  read  of  what  Abel^  Enochs  Noah^  Abra- 
ham^ Ifaac,  Jacob  J  and  Mofes^(^\6,  by  Faith.  THt'ir  Faith 
was  theSubftance  of  iTbings' hoped  for  ^  and  Evidence  of  Things 
not  f ecu.  i.  e.  It  made  divine  and  eternal  Things  as  it  were 
'lubiill  in  all  theirGlory  and  Importxince  before  theirMinds, 
.  and  appear  as  evident  as  tho'  they  v/ere  feen.  ^m  . —  2 .  It  is 
the  Way  of  godly  Men  to  live  under  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of 
die  divineAll-fufficiency,whereby  they  are  influenced ^rm/y 
to  believe  that  God  is  .able  to  do  all  Things  for  theni,and  be 
call  to  them,  which  they  can  pofTibiy  Need  in  Time  and  to 
Eternity  ;  by  all  which,  they  are  influenced  to  live  in  a 
Way  of  continual  Dependance  upon  him  for  all  Things. 
And  this  is  what,  in  the  Book  of  Pfalms- 2ind  elfewhere,  is 
called  trufling  in  the  Lord^  waiting  and  leaning  upon  the 
Ldrd^  making  him  our  Refuge.  This  Temper  is  expreflfed 
in  Pfal.  73.  25,  26.  Whom  have  lin  Heaven  but  thee  ?  And 
there  is  none  upon  Earth  that  I  defire  befide  thee.  My  Flefh 
and  my  Heart  faileth  :  But  God  is  the  Strength  of  my  Hearty 
and  my  Portion  for  ever.  And  >^.  28.  It  is  good  for  me  to 
draw  near  to  God :  I  have  put  my  Trtifi  in  the  Lord. —  3.  It 
is  the  Way  of  godly  Men  to  live  under  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of 
God  as  the  great  Governour  of  the  World,  to  whom  it 
belongs  to  maintain. the  Rights  of  the  God-Head,  and  the 
Honour  of  the  Law  ;  and  under  a  Senfe  of  themfelves  as 
poor  Sinners,  worthy  only  of  Deftrudtion  according  to  Law 
and  Jufl:ice,  and  too  bad  to  be  pitied  or  to  have  any  Mercy 
fliewn  them  without  fome  fufficient  Salvo  to  the  divine 
Honour  ^  and  under  a  Senfe  of  Chriil  as  a  Mediator  ap- 
pointed to  be  a  Propitiation  for  Sin,  to  declare  God's 
Righteoufnefs  and  fecure  the  divine  Honour,  and  fo  open 
a  Way  whereinGod  might  bejuft  and  yet  juftify  theSinner 
that  believes  in  Jefus  :  even  under  fuch  a  living  Senfe  of 
thefe  Things,  as  that  they  2.vq  firmly  believed  ;  whereby  they 
are  influenced  not  to  draw  nigh  to  God  in  their  own 
Names,  emboldened  by  their  own  Goodnefs ;  but  only  in 
the  Name  of  Chrift,  dependintg  entirely  upon  him, 
and  embolden'd  only  by  his  Worth  and  Merits,  Media- 
tion and  Interceflion,  to  lookTor  Acceptance  in  the  Sight 

of 


396  True  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

of  God.  Hence,  becaufe  of  this  Bependance^  they  are  faid 
to  pray  in  Chrift's  Name,  Joh.  16.  23.  To  have  accefs  to 
God  by  him,  Eph.  2.18.  To  come  to  God  thro'  him.  Heb. 
7.25.  To  believe  in  God  by  him.  i  Pet.  i.  21.  And  are 
reprefented  as  being  emboldened  by  his  Worth  and 
Merits,  Mediation  and  Intercefrion,to  approach  the  Majelly 
of  Heaven.  Heb.  4.  16.  and  10.  19.  And  now  this  is  called 
a  cofningto  Chhil.  Joh.  7.  37.  A  receiving  Kim.  Joh.  i.  12. 
A  believing  in  Chrift.  Joh.  ^.  15,  16.  A  believing  on 
Chrift.  Joh.  3.  18,  36.  A  believing  in  his  Name.  Joh. i.  12. 
And  a  trusting  in  Chrift.  Eph.  i.  12,  13.  And  this  is 
that  ASi  of  Faith  by  which  we  are  juftified  and  intitled  to 
Life,  as  is  evident  from  Rom.  3.  24,  25,  26.     Where  it  is, 

by  the  Apoftle,  called,  Faith  in  ChrijVs  Blood. The 

Apoftle  confiders  God  as  the  righteous  Governour  of  the 
World.  {Chap,  i.  18.)  All  Mankind  as  ht\n%  guilty  before 
God.  {Chap.  3.  9 — 19.)  Chrift  as  being  fet  forth  to  be  a 
Propitiation  for  Sin.  (y.  2  5.  J  'That  God  might  be  jtfft  and 
yet  juftify  &c.  (y.  26.)  And  affirms  that  we  2irt  juftified 
by  free  Grace  thro'  the  Redemption  that  is  in  Jeftis  thrift-. 
(f.  24. J  By  Faith  without  the  Deeds  of  the  Law.  (/.  28.) 
Being  confidered  in  our  felves  as  ungodly.  {Chap.  4.  5.) 
And  this  juftifying  Faith  he  calls  Faith  in  Chrift' s  Blood  \ 
becaufe  it  was  principally  by  the  Death  of  Chrift,  that  the 
Ends  of  moral  Government  were  anfwered,  and  fo  Law 
and  Juftice  fatisfied,  and  a  Way  opened  for  the  honourable 

Exercife  of  divine  Grace. But  altho'  the  Word  Faith 

be  thus  ufed  in  Scripture  in  thefe  different  Senfes,  yet  we 
are  to  remember  that  thefe  various  Exercifes  of  a  godly 
Soul  are  connected  together,  and  always  concommitant 
with  one  another  ;  yea,  and  in  feme  Refpc6ts  implied  in 
each  other,  and  perhaps  fometimes  all  thefe  Adings  of  Soul 
are  defigned  by  the  Word  Faith  •,  neverthelefs  they  are 
evidently  in  their  own  Nature  fo  diftinft,  as  that  they  may 
be  conceived  of  as  diftin6t  Adts  of  the  Soul.  »  ■  And  it 
may  alfo  be  noted,  that  the  two  firit  of  thefe,  viz.  a  firm 
.Belief  of  divine  Truths^  and  a  hearty  Reliance  on  the  divine 
All-fufficiencyy  ar^  A€ts  of  Faith  cominon  to  Angek  as  well 
as  Saints ;  but  the  laft,  which  immediately  refpedls 
Chrift  asMcdiatbr,  is  peculiar  to  penitent,  returning  Sin- 
ners. 


and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  397 

ners.  The  two  firft  are  common  to  every  holy  Creature  ; 
for  all  fuch  do,  in  a  firm  Belief  of  divine  Truths,  live  in 
an  entire  Dependance  upon  God  the  infinite  Fountain  of 
all  Good  :  But  the  laft  is  peculiar  lo/mful  Creatures,  who, 
becaufe  they  are  /;/////,  need  a  Mediator  to  make  Way  for 
the  honourable  Exercife  of  the  divine  Goodnefs  towards 
them.  Thofe,  that  never  were  Sinners,  may  receive  all 
Things,  from  the  free  Grace  and  Self-moving  Goodnefs  of 
the  dtvine  Nature,  without  a  Mediator.  But  thofe,  that 
have  been  Sinners,  perhaps  will  receive  all  thro'  a  Media- 
tor, to  Eternity. 

10.  A  Heart  to  love  God  fupremely,  live  to  him  ulti- 
mately, and  delight  in  him  fupcrlatively,to  love  ourNeigh^ 
bours  as  our  felves,  to  hate  every  falle  Way  ;  to  be  hum- 
ble, meek,  weaned  from  the  World,  heavenly- minded  ;  to 
be  thankful  for  Mercies,  patient  under  Afflictions,  to  love 
Enemies,  to  forgive  Injuries  ;  and  in  all  Things  to  do  as 
v/e  v/ould  be  done  by  •  A  Heart  for  ail  this,  I  fay,  is  al- 
ways in  exad  Proportion  to  the  Degree  of  true  Faith.  For 
the  fameViewsofourownWretchednefs,  of  God,  ofChrift, 
pf  the  Way  of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  him,  of  the 
Glory,  Reality  and  Importance  of  divine  &  eternal  Things, 
which  lay  the  Foundation  for  true  Faith,  and  always  ac- 
company the  Exercife  of  Faith,  do  at  the  fame  Time  lay 
the  Foundation  for  this  divine  Temper.  And  befides,this 
divine  Temper  is  what  every  true  Believer  feels  to  be  the 
fitted  and  happieil  Thing  in  the  World,  and  as  fuch  longs 
for  it,  and  goes  to  God  to  have  it  increafed  8c  ftrengthned  ; 
and  being  unworthy  to  go  in  his  own  Name,  *  he  goes  in 

,  ChriiVs 

*  Unvjorthy  to  go  in  his  o^n  Name.  As  thus,  if  in  Prayer  I  offer  up  this 
Petition,  "  Lord,  enable  me  to  love  thee  with  all  my  Heart :"  It  im- 
plies, ( I )  That  I  don  t  love  God  with  all  my  Heart,  notwithftanding 
the  infinite  Obligations  I  am  under  to  do  fo  ;  for  which  Defed  I  atm 
infinitely  to  Blame,  and  deferve  an  infinite  Punilhment,  to  be  inftantly 
driven  from  GodV  Prefence  for  ever,  and  fpurned  to  Hell  as  a  Crea- 
ture fit  only  for  Defti^aiion.  (2.)  It  implies  that  all  the  external  Ma- 
nifeftations  which  God  has  made  of  himfelf  to  mc  in  his  Works  and 
Word,  and  all  the  external  Means  he  has  ufcd  with  me,  are  not  able 
to  win  my  Heart  wholly  to  Go^.y  fo  great  is  my  Sott^Qinefs  and  Aliena- 
.  tion  from  the  D^ity,  and  love  to   the  V,^orld  and  Sir..    And  now 

furcly 


98      'True  Religion  delifieatei'     Dis.  il. 


Chrift's  Name  :  So  that  the  obtaining  more  and  more  of 
this  divine  Temper  is  one  main  End  ot  his  exercifing  Faith 
in  Chrift.  And  v/hatfoever  he  afks  the  Father  in  Chrift's 
Name,  he  receives  ^  God  is  readier  to  give  liis  holy  Spirit 
to  fuch  a  one,  than  Parents  be  to  give  Bread  to  their  Chil- 
dren. Joh.  16.2^,  Mr.t.y.  11.  And  therefore  every  true 
Behever  does  obtain  the  End  of  his  Faith  ;  and  not  only 
has,  but  grows  in  this  divine  Temper,  and  is  governed  by 
it,  and  bnngs  forth  Fruit  according  to  it  :  and  thus  fbsws 
his  Faith  by  his  IVorks^  according  to  St.  James's  Doth'm^. 
'Jam.  2.  And  Ijereinr  true  Faith  (lands  diftinguillied  from 
all  Counterfeits.  Never  had  a  Flypocrite  a  fpiritual  Senfe 
of  that  ineffable  Beauty  of  the  divine  Nature,  which  lies  at 
the  Foundation  of  all  the  Experiences  of  the  true  Saint,  and 
from  whence  ail  true  Flolinefs  originally  fprings.  The 
Formalift  may,  from  legal  Fears  and  mercenary  Hopes,  be 
fo  ftrict  and  confciencious  in  his  Ways,  as  to  think  himfelf 
a  choice  good  Man  :  and  the  Enthufiaft^  from  a  firm  Per- 
fwafion  of  the  Pardon  of  his  Sins  and  the  Love  of  Chrift, 
may  befo  full  of  Joy  and  Love,  Zeal  and  Devotion,  as  to 
think  himfelf  a  moll  eminent  Saint  :  but  there  is  nothing 
of  the  Nature  of  true  Holinefs  in  either  ;  for  it  is  Self  and 
nothing  but  Mf\  that  is  the  Principle,Center  and  End  of  all 
their  Religion.  They  do  not  believe  in  Chrift,  that  thro' 
him  they  may  return  Home  to  God,  and  be  confccrated  to 
him  for  ever,  and  obtain  Grace  to  do  all  his  Will.  They 
don't  know  God,  or  care  for  him,  but  are  wholly  taken  up 
about  their  own  Intereft.  That  Moravian  Maxim,  "  That 
*'  Salvation  conftils  in  the  Forgivenefs  of  Sins,"  exhibits 
the  true  Picture  of  the  Heart  of  the  beft  Hypocrite   in  the 

World  ; 

furely  fuch  a  vile  Wretch  can't  have  a  Thought  of  any  Mercy  from 
God  on  the  Account  of  any  Goodnefs  in  me  ;  yea,  rather  I  am  too 
bad  to  be  pitied,  unlefs  there  be  fonie  fufficient  Salvo  10  the  divine 
Honour.  How  therefore  can  God  give  me  the  greateft  of  Gifts, 
even  the  fandlifying  Influences  of  his  holySpirit,  but  thro'  the  greatMe- 
diator,  confiftent  with  his  Honour  as  moral  Governour  of  the  World. 
Now  therefore  being  thus  unworthy  to  go  to  God  in  my  own  Name, 
I  go  in  Chrift's  Name;  as  knowing  that  thro'  him  God  can  exerciic 
his  infinite,  felf-moving  Goodnefs  to  the  vileft  of  Creatures,  confiftent 
with  his  Honour :  altho'  Law  and  Jultice  call  for  their  immediate 
Dcftrudion,  confidered  a?  in  themfclves. 


and dijiinguij}jed  from  all  Counterfeits.  399 

World  ;  while  that  in  iCor.  3.  18.  is  peculiar  to  theGodiy, 
Ji^e  all  imth  open  Face  beholding,  as  in  a  Glafs  the  Glory  of  the 
Lord^  are  changed  into  the  fame  Image ^  from  Glory  to  Glory, 
'  II.  and  laftly,  In  true  Believers  there  is  a  Principle  of 
Faith,  which  abides  and  grows  and  perfeveres  to  the  End* 
That  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God,  of  themlelves,  of  Chrifl,  and 
of  the  Gofpel-Way  of  Salvation  thro'  him,  which  lays  the 
foundation  for  the  firfl  A6t  of  Faith,  becomes  habitual. 
They  have  a  fpiritual  Underftanding  to  difcern  fpiritual 
Tilings.  \Cor.  2.12.  They  \Ntxt  qi\ctBarknefs^  but  are  now 
Light  in.the  Lord :  And  hence  they  .arc  called  Children  cf 
the  Light  and  of  the  Day.  Eph.,  5.  8.  1  Thef.  c^.  ^.  Spiri- 
tual Light  does, not  come  upon  Believers  like  Flafhes 
of  Lightnifig.  at  Midnight,  now.  and  then  a  Flalh, 
and  then  as  dark  as  ever  again  :  But  their  Light  is 
habitual,  like  Day  Light.  And  from  the  firfl  Dawning  of 
divine  Light  at  the  Hour  of  Converfion,  that  Day-break 
of  Heaven,  their  Light  flmies  7): ore  and  more ^  Year  afterYear, 
to  the  f  erf e^  Day,  Frov.  4.  18.  The  flying  Clouds  in  the 
Day  Time,  altho'  they  may  hide  the  clear  Ihiningof  the 
Sun  for  a  While,  yet  they  don't  make  it  dark  as  in  the 
Night ;  yea,  the  thickeft,  darkeft  Clouds  are  not  able  to  do 
it.  Believers  are  never  deilituteof  a  fpiritual  Senfe  of  God 
and  Chrift  and  divine  Things,  as  other  Men  be. .  They  are 
Children  of  the  Light  and  of  the  Day,,  and  not  of  \}ci^'Night 
and  of  Darknefs,  The  Spirit  of  God  does  not  come  upon 
them  by  Fits,  as  it  did  upon  Balaam  \  but  dwells  in  them. 
Rom.  8.9.  And  they^r^'zx;  in  Grace,,  and  in  the  Knowledge 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus  Chrifi.  2  Pet.  3.  18.  If  at  any 
Time  they  fhould  have  no  more  Senfe  of  divine  Things 
than  the  Unregenerate,  they  would  be  as  much  without 
Grace  :  They  would  not  differ  from  the  Stony-Ground- 
Hearers,,  \AsQ  fell  away. —  And  now  their  divine  Light  be- 
ing thus  habitual,  growing  and  perfevering ;  hence  their 
Faith  is  fo  tgo,  Thro'  the  Courfe  of  their  Lives,  it  is  their 
Way,  to  grow  more  and  more  fenfible  of  their  Sinfulnefs, 
the  Sinfulnefs  of  Sin,  their  Unworthinefs,  Ill-defert,  Po- 
verty, and  abfolute  Need  of  free  Grace  and  of  Jefus  Chrift. 
And  they  alfo  fee  more  and  more. into  the  Gofpel  Way  of 
Salvation,   the  Glory  and  Safety  of  it,  its  Sui:abknefs  to 

exalt 


400  True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  11. 

exalt  God,  magnify  the  La\V,  difcountenance  Sin,  humble 
the  Sinner,  and  glorify  Grace  •,  and  more  and  more  come 
off  from  all  Self- Depend ance,  to  an  entire  Reliance  upon 
JefusChrill  and  the  free  Grace  of  God  thro'  him  :  Seeking- 
to  be  found  not  in  themfelves,  but  in  Chrift  ;  not  as  hav- 
ing on  their  own  Righteoufnefs,  but  his.  Fhil.  3.  7,  8,  9. 
They  more  fully  approve  of  the  Law  of  Nature  and  of  the 
originalConftitution  withy^^^w,as  being  holy,  juft  &  good  : 
They  more  fully  get  into  a  Way  of  looking  upon  them- 
felves as  God  does  •,  as  being  naturally  and  in  themfelves 
fallen,  finful,  guilty,  juftly  condemned,  helplefs  &  undone. 
They  fee  more  and  more  of  their  infiniteObligation  to  per- 
fedl  Holinefs,  and  of  the  Reafonablenefs  of  eternalDamna- 
tion  being  threatned  for  the  leafl  Sin,  and  of  the  InfufRci- 
ency  of  all  their  beft  Doings  to  make  any  Satisfadlion  for 
Sin.  The  Grace  of  God  as  revealed  in  the  Gofpel,  appears 
more  rich  and  free  and  wonderful.  They  feel  more  and 
more  of  their  Need  of  Chrift,  his  Worth  and  Merits,  Me- 
diatlorr  and  Interceflion  ;  and  of  their  utter  Unfitnefs  to 
approach  theMajefty  of  Heaven  any  other  Way  but  by  him. 
They  feel  themfelves  more  full  of  Wants,  and  farther  off 
from  anyWorthinefs  to  receive,  and  yet  more  and  more  in- 
to the  Temper  of  humble  Beggars,  and  into  a  Way  of  com- 
ing to  God  more  entirely  in  Chrift's  Name. —  At  firftCon- 
verfion  fuch  aTemper  begins, &  this  Temper  grows  like  the 
Muftard-Seed,and  fpreads  like  the  Leaven^^ind  is  like  a  JVell 
of  lrvinglVate)\  which  is  never  dry,  but  is  fprhiging  wp  into 
everla fling  Life.  Mat.  13.  31 — 33.  Joh.  4.  14, — And  thiiis 
the  true  Believer  abides  in  Cbriff,  as  a  living  Branch  dees  in 
the  Vine,  Joh.  15.  And  lives  the  Life  he  lives  in  the  Flefh^hy 
Faith  on  the  Son  of  God,  Gal.  2.  20.  Being  kept  i^ythePower 
cfGod^  thro*  Faith mto  Salvation,  i  Pet.  i.  5. 

And  this  is  the  Thing  (I  may  obferve  by  the  Way)  which 
makes  Grace  in  the  Heart  more  plainly  difcernabJc,  and 
it's  Difference  from  all  Counterfeits  more  clearly  manifcft, 
and  which  therefore  clears  up  to  Believers  the  fpiritualState 
of  their  Souls,  anfwers  all  Doubts,  removes  all  Difficulties, 
and  brings  them  to  be  fettled  and  fatisfied  as  to  their  good 
Eftate.  Many  fpend  their  Lives  in  fearching  whether 
their  Law-work  was  right,  whether  their  firft  A£f  of  Faith 

was 


and  dijlinguijhed  from  all  Counterfeits.  40  r 

was  right,  &c.  But  there  is  nothing  like  growing  in  Grace, 
to  put  it  out  of  Doubt  that  we  have  Grsce,  and  to  keep 
our  Evidences  clear.  And  indeed  this  is  the  only  Way. 
2  Fet,  I.  5 — 10. 

And  thus  we  fee  in  general  wherein  a  genuine  Compli- 
ance with  the  Gofpel  does  confift,  and  particularly  what  is 
the  Nature  of  a  faving  Faith.  And  from  what  has  been 
faid,  we  may  be  able  to  diftinguilh  true  Faith  from  every 
Counterfeit.  Particularly,  from  what  has  been  faid,  we 
may  eafily  fee  the  Falfenefs  of  thefe  two  Sorts  of  Faith, 
whereby  Thoufands  are  deceived  and  ruined. 

I .  l^he  legal  Hypocrite's  Faith  ;  who  being  entirely  de- 
void of  the  divine  Life,  and  of  thofe  fpiritual  Views  of 
God,  of  himfelf,  of  Chrifl,  and  of  the  Way  of  Salvation, 
which  the  true  Believer  has,  is  only  animated  by  Self-love, 
the  Fear  of  Hell  and  the  Hope  of  Heaven,  to  attend  upon 
the  external  Duties  of  Religion,  and  to  try  to  love  God 
and  be  fincere,in  Hopes  of  Acceptance  in  the  Sight  of  God, 
if  he  endeavours  to  do  as  well  as  he  can.  He  thinks,  God 
has  promifedto  accept  fuch,  and  that  it  would  not  be  juft 
for  God  to  require  more  of  him  than  he  can  do.  He  does 
not  fee  how  bad  he  is,  he  hates  to  think  of  lying  at  the 
mere  Mercy  of  God,  and  can't  endure  the  Dodtrine  of  di- 
vine Sovereignty  ;  he  is  quite  infenfible  of  his  Need  of 
free  Grace  and  of  Jefus  Chrift  :  However,he  fays,  he  trulls 
wholly  in  the  Merits  of  Chrift  for  eternal  Life,  and 
does  not  pretend  to  merit  any  Thing  by  all  his  Doings. 
And  thus  being  quieted  with  the  Hopes  of  Heaven,  he 
goes  on  in  the  Rounds  of  Duty,  a  Stranger  to  real  Com- 
munion with  God,  and  to  all  the  Exercifes  of  the  divine 
Life.  He  does  Duties  enough  juft  to  keep  his  Confcience 
quiet,  and  has  Faith  enough  juft  to  keep  him  from  feeing 
that  he  refts  entirely  upon  his  own  Righteoufnefs  :  and  by 
the  Means  his  Duties  and  his  Faith  ferve  only  to  keep  him. 
fecure  in  Sin,  and  infenfible  of  his  periihing  Need  of  Jefus 
Chrift  and  of  converting  Grace. 

Let  me  expoftulate  theCafe  a  little  with  fuch  a  one.  And 

Firjt^  Can  a  Man  fincerely  comply  with  the  Gofpel,  when 

at  the  fame  Time  he  does  not  cordially  approve  of  the 

Law  as  holy,  juft  and  good,  feeing  the  Gofpel  in  its  whole 

•    '  D  d  Conftitutioa 


402       %'u^  Religion  delineated       Dis,  II. 

Conftitution  is  evidently  founded  upon  that  Suppofition  ? 
You  don't  like  the  Law  •,  you  think,  it  is  unjull.  The 
Law  requires  you  to  love  God  with  all  your  Heart,  (  Mat. 
22.  37.)  and  threatens  Damnation  for^the  lead  Sin  :  {Gal, 
3.  10.)  But  you  fay,  it  is  notjuft  for  God  to  require  more 
than  you  can  do,  and  then  damn  you  for  not  doing.  But 
now  the  Gofpel  does  not  mean  to  make  void  this  Law,  but 
to  ejlablijh  it.  Rojn.  3.  31.  It  would  be  impofiible  there- 
fore, if  you  did  but  rightly  underfland  the  Cafe,  that  you 
Ihould  like  the  Gofpel  any  better  than  you  do  the  Law. — 
And  fecandly^  Do  you  think  that  God  will  pardon  you,  when 
at  the  fame  Time  you  will  not  acknowledge  the  Law  to 
be  holy,  jufl  and  good,  by  which  you  (land  condemned  ^ 
What,  pardon  you,  when  you  juftify  yourfelf,  &  condemn 
his  Law  !  What,pardon  you,when  you  won't  own  you  need 
a  Pardon  !  Yea,when  you  Hand  to  it,  it  would  not  be  fair  to 
punilh  you  !  Yea,  when  you  are  ready  to  fly  in  the  very 
Face  of  the  Law  and  of  the  Lawgiver,  and  to  cry  out, 
I)2juftice^htjuftice!  No,  no,  proud,  ilubborn,  guilty  Wretch, 
you  muft  come  down  firft,  and  lie  in  the  Dull  before  the 
Lord,  and  approve  the  Law  in  the  very  Bottom  of  your 
Heart,  and  own  theSentence  juft,  by  which  you  {land  con- 
demned. Luk,  18.  13.  Rom.  3.  19.  You  muft  come  down 
and  own  the  Law  to  be  good,  or  elfe  God  muft  come  down 
and  own  the  Law  to  be  bad.  Or  if  God  infifts  upon  it 
that  the  Law  is  holy,  juft  and  good,  and  you  ftill  infift  upon 
it  that  it  is  not  •,  it  is  impoffible  that  God  ihould  pardon 
you,  or  that  there  ftiould  be  any  Reconciliation.  God  muft 
of  Neceflity  hate  you,  becaufe  you  hate  his  Law  ;  and  you 

will  for  ever  hate  God,  for  making  fuch  a  Law. And 

thirdly^  How  can  you  pretend  all  this  while, to  truft  only  in 
Chrift  for  Pardon  and  eternal  Life  ;  when-as  it  is  plain, 
from  your  own  Words,  you  fee  no  Need  of  Chrift  ?  For 
if,  as  you  fay,  "  God  can't  juftly  require  any  more  of  you 
"  than  you  can  do  i"  what  do  you  w^ant  Chrift  for  ^  You 
can  do  enough  your  felf.  Do  you  want  Chrift  to  make 
Satistadlion  for  your  Short- comings  and  Imperfedions  ? 
But,  according  to  your  Scheme,  God  can't  require  any 
more  Satisfadlion  than  you  can  make  your  felf :  for  this 
J?9^^  ^^,  ^^  require  more  than  you  cau  do,  and  to  damn 


a72d  dijlingiiijhed fro7n  all  Cou7tterfeiis.  403 

you  for  not  doing.  Do  you  want  him  to  purchafe  the 
Favour  of  God  and  eternal  Life  ?  But  you  can  do  all  that 
God  can  require  :  for  you  can  do,  what  you  can  do,  and 
that,  according  to  your  Scheme,is  all  that  God  can  require. 
Or  do  you  want  Chrifl  to  purchafe  an  Abatement  of  the 
Law  ?  But  if  Chrifl  had  never  died,  you  don't  think,  that 
God  could  in  Juftice  require  more  of  you  than  you  can  do. 
What  Need  therefore,  upon  your  Scheme,  was  there  of 
Chriil  ?  And  did  he  not  die  in  vain  ?  For  if  Righteoufnefs 
come* by  the  Lazv^  then  Chrift  is  dead  in. vain.  Gal.  2.  21. 
Now,  can  your  Faith  in  Chriil  be  any  more  than  a  mere 

Fanc)\w\i^ii-2i^  it  is  evident  you  fee  no  Need  of  him  ? 

And  ht^idits^  fourthly y  What  Good  does  yourFaith  do  you  ? 
Does  it  work  by  Love?  Y)ots  it  purify  your  Heart  ?  Does 
it  overcome  the  World  'i  Why,  nothing  lefs.  It  only  fervcs 
to  keep  you  fecure  and  quiet  in  an  unrenewed  State,  an^  to 
make  you  hope  all  is  weil,while  you  keep  on  in  a  Round  of 
external  Duties,  Strangers  to  God  and  the  divine  Life,  In 
a  Word,  your  Duties  and  your  Faith  join  together  to  keep 
Ccnfcience.  afleep,  and  to  render  you  infenfible  of  your 
Need  of  Chriil  and  of  convertingGrace.  i^^w.  9.30,31,32. 
Oh,  how  fad  it  is,  fo  manyThoufands  fhould  be  deceived 
in  fo  plain  a  Cafe  !  It  can  furely  be  attributed  to  nothing 
Ibortof  this, that  Afe  love  Barknefs  rather  than  Light -^  they 
love  to  frame  fuch  a  Scheme  of  Religion  in  their  Heads » 
as  fuits  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts.  And  becaufe  their 
Scheme  fuits  them,  therefore  they  firmly  believe  it  to  be 
divine.  But  to  proceed, 

2.  From  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  eafily  fee  the 
Falfenefs  of  the  evangelical  Hypocrite's  Faith ;  who,altho'  he 
makes  a  much  greater  Shew,  and  is  more  confident,  yet 
has  not  a  Jot  better  Foundation.  —  He  has  been  greatly 
awaken'd  perhaps,  and  terrified,  and  feemingly  brought  off 
from  his  own  Righteoufnefs  and  humbled,  and  then  has 
received  great  Light  and  Comfort,  and  has  had  many  aa^ 
Hour  of  Joy  and  Ravifhment.  —  For  thus  v/as  the  Cate  *~ 
In  the  Depth  of  his  Darknefs  and  Sorrow,  Light  fhincd 
all  around  him-,  and  to  his  thinking,he  fawHeaveii  opened, 
and  the  Lord  fitting  upon  his  Throne,  and  Chrifl  at  his 
right  Hand,  and  heard  thofe  Words,  Comey?  bleffed  of  my 

D  d  2  Father y 


404      *True  Religion  delineated        Dis.  II. 

Father^  inherit  the  Kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  Foun- 
dation of  the  JVorld :  Be  of  good  Chear,  thy  Sins  are  forgiven  : 
Fear  not^  little  Flock^  'tis  my  Father's  good  Pleafure  to  give 
you  the  Kingdom.    Oh  thou  affii5led^  toffed  with  ^e^npcfls,  ami 
not  comfort  edy  behold^  I  will  lay  thy  Stones  with  fair  Colours  ^^c. 
—  Or,  it  may  be,  he  faw  Chrift  on  the  Crofs,  with   his 
Blood  running  from  his  Side  and  Hands  and  Feet.     Or, 
perhaps  he  faw  a  Light  in  his  Chamber.  —  It  may  be,  he 
had  one  Scripture,  and  it  may  be  ten   or   twenty  going, 
until  he  was  as  full  as  he  could  hold,  and  even  reajdy  to 
cry,  Lord^ftay  thy  Hand.     As  to  all  thefe  Things,  there  is 
an  endlefs  Variety.     But  in  the  following  Particulars  there 
is  a  greater  Agreement,  (i.)  They  have  a  Difcovery  of 
Chriit's  Love  to  them  in  pa?'ticular^  that  he  died  for  them 
in  particular,  that  their  Sins  are  pardoned,  &c.   (2.)  The 
Ellence  of  their  firft  Ad  of  Faith  confiils  in  a  firm  Per- 
fuafion,  that  their  Sins  are  forgiven,  that  Chrift  died  for 
them  in  particular,  or  the  like.  (3.)  All  their  after-Difco- 
veries  and  after- Ads  of  Faith  are  of  the  fame  Nature  with 
the  firft.  (4.)  This  Faith,  from  a  Principle  of  Self-love, 
naturally  fills  them  full  of  Joy  and  Love  and  Zeal,  &  lays 
the  Foundation  of  all  their  good  Frames,  and  of  all  their 
Religion. (5. )Doubting  theGoodnefs  of theirState,when  they 
are  dead  &  carnal,is  in  their  AccountUnbelief,  &agreatSin, 
and  to  be  watched  &  prayed  againft,  as  aThing  of  the  mofl 
deftrudtiveTendency. — Now,fome  who  have  a  fewDifcove- 
ries,do  in  a  fewMonths  lofe  all  their  Religion,  and  come  to 
feel  &  live  much  like  the  reft  of  the  World. —  Others  hold 
out  longer. — Some, after  they  have  lain  dead  one,tvvo,three, 
five  ortcnYearSjjuft  as  it  happens,v/illhave  what  they  call  a 
new  Difcovery,  and  be  as  full  as  ever. — While  others  con- 
tinue in  their  irreligious  Courfes. 

And  here  I  may  obferve,  (i.)  That  the  greater  Difcove- 
ries  (as  they  call  them)  they  have,  the  more  proud  &  con- 
ceited they  be,  and  the  more  do  they  want  to  have  all  the 
Town  admire  them. —  (2.)  The  longer  they  continue  to  be 
lively,  the  more  do  they  grow  in  Pride  and  Sclf-Righteouf- 
nefs  j  and  feeling  themfelves  to  be  exceedingGood,  they 
are  emboldened  to  make  very  free  with  the  Almighty,  as 
being  his  peculiar  Favourites,  and  the  b^  of  Men.    Godt 


and dijiinguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  40  5 

I  thank  thee^  I  am  not  as  other  Men, —  C3.)  And  yet  'tis  na- 
tural to  efteem  themfelves  fome  of  the  moll  humble  Crea- 
tures in  the  World. —  ('4.)  It  is  impoflible  to  convince  them 
of  their  Error.     Becaufe   the  immediate  Witnefs  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  as  they  think,    afllires  them  that  they  are 
right :  And  therefore  all  that  don't  look  upon  Things  and 
feel  juft  as  they  do,  are  certainly  blind  and  carnal  ♦,  and  fo 
not  to  be  regarded  :  They  are  bound  to  believe  God  before 
Man.  Urge  Scripture  againil  them,  and  they  are  unmoved  ; 
becaufe  the  Spirit  does  not  tell  them  that  it  means  fo  :  The 
plaineft  Texts  are  not  regarded,  if  contrary  to  their  Spirit. 
Urge  Reafon  againil  them,  and  demonllrate  a  Point  ever 
fo  clearly,  and  they  are  unmoved  •,  becaufe  that  is  all  carnal 
Reafon.   Take  much  Pains  with  them,  and  be  ever  fo  kind 
^nd  friendly,   and  they  are  the  more  eflaMifhed  \  becaufe 
they  think  they  are  ferfecuted.     Or,  if  they  are  fometimes 
Ihocked  and  almoft  convinced,  yet  they  are  in  a  few  Day^ 
more  fettled  than  ever,   by  a  new  Difcovery  and  a  Multi- 
tude of  Scriptures,mifapplied  by  thePrince  of  Darknefs,  af- 
furing  them  that  they  are  right.     And  now  they  refolve 
never  to  doubt  again,   and  get  invincibly  fet  in  their  Way, 
(5.)  If  after  a  While  they  lofe  all  their  Religion,    and  are 
dead,  and  lie  dead  for  whole  Months  and  Years  together, 
yet  ftill  they  are  as  confident  as  ever.     "  For,  fay  they, 
**  David  and  Solomon  and  Peter  fell,  and  the  befl  are  dead 
*'  fometimes,  and  how  long  a  goodMan  may  lie  dead  none 
*'  can  tell  ;  God  may  leave  his  Children  out  of  Sovereign- 
"  ty,  and  without  Chrift  we  can  do  Nothing  ;  we  muft 
*'  wait  for  the  Spirit,  and  not  call  God's  Faithfulnefs  into 
Queftion  becaufe  of  our  Deadnefs,  as  if  his  Faithfulnefs 
depended  upon  our  good  Frames."  And  fo  now  having, 
as  they  fuppole,  Chrifl  to  pardon  their  Sins  and  fave  their 
Souls,  and  fome  Lull  to  content  their  Hearts,  they   fleep 
on  fecure  and  quiet.     Or,  if  they  are  terrified  at  any  Time 
and  begin  to  Doubt,    0  thou  of  little  Faithy  wherefore  dofi 
thou  Doubt  ?  Or  fome  fuch  Scripture,  will  quiet  and  huih 
all  to  fleep  again.     And  thus,  and  after  this  Sort,  Things 
go  with  them.     And  now  out  of  fuch  rotten  Hearts  grow 
up  all  the  Antinomian^Familiftic  and  §uakerifh  Errors  which 
have  troubled  the  Chriftian  Church.     For  they   get  their 

D  d  3  Principles 


cc 


4o6       True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  11. 

Principles  of  Religion,  not  out  of  the  Bihh^  but  out  of  their 
Experiences  :  and  are  careful  to  cut  out  a  Scheme,  in  their 
Heads,  to  fuit  the  Religion  of  their  Hearts  :  And  becaufe 
it  fuits  them,  therefore  they  firmly  believe  it.  And  becaufe 
their  Scheme  is  not  rational.,  and  cannot  bear  to  be  examin- 
ed by  Reafon  \  therefore  they  cry  down  Reafon^  and  fay  it  is 
carnal :  And  they  cry  down  humanLearning  ;  and  the  more 
ignorant,  the  more  devout.  And  becaufe  their  Scheme 
is  not  contained  in  the  Scriptures.,  therefore  they  have  no 
Regard  to  the  plain  Meaning  of  Scripture,  but  turn  all  into 
Allegories.,  and  what  they  call  thtfpiritual  Meaning  ;  and  fo 
run  into  a  Hundred  Whims,  fuch  as  befl  fuits  with  the 
Temper  of  their  Hearts. 

Now  the  great  Mifery  of  this  Sort  of  Hypocrites  is,that 
notwithftanding  all  their  Terrors ;  yet  they  were  never 
thoro'ly  convinced  of  their  fallen,  finful,  guilty,  undone 
Eftate  by  Nature.  And  notwithftanding  ail  their  Difco- 
veries ;  yet  they  are  ftill  fpiritually  blind,  and  neither  know 
God,  nor  Themfelves,  nor  Chrift,  nor  the  Gofpel-Way  of 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  him.  And  notwithftanding 
all  their  Confidence  and  Joy  and  high  religious  Frames  ; 
yet  they  are  as  deftitute  of  Faith,  Repentance  andHolinefs, 
as  ever  they  were.  And  'tis  a  LIE,  which  the  Father  of 
Lies  has  made  them  believe,  which  lies  at  the  Bottom  of  all 
their  Religion,  and  is  the  very  Foundation  of  it  all.  All 
their  pureft  Joy  and  Love  and  Zeal  arife  from  their  Faith. 
All  their  Faith  confifts  in  believing  that  theirSins  are  forgiven. 
And  all  the  Foundation  which  their  Faith  is  originally 
built  upon,is  din  immediate  Revelation  :  TheTruth  of  which, 
they  dare  not  call  in  Queftion,  for  fear  of  giving  the  Lie  to 
the  HolySpirit,  from  v/hom,they  fay,  they  know  it  came.— 
But  how  could  the  Spirit  of  God  reveal  it  to  them,  that 
Chrif  loved  t hem ^  and  that  theirSins  were  forgiven,  and  htrc- 
by  lay  the  Foundation  for  their  Jirjl  AH:  of  Faith,  when -as 
hefore  the  firfi  A^  of  Faith,  they  were  a^iially  under  Con- 
demnation., the  IVrath  of  God.,  and  the  Ctafe  of  the  Law  ? 
Joh.  3.  18,36.  Gal.  3.  10.  The  Thing  revealed  to  them 
was  not  true  -,  and  therefore  was  not  from  God,  but  from 
the  Devil. —  Now  this  falfe  Revelation  laid  theFoundation 
for  their  Faith,  and  their  Faith  laid  tlieFoundatioii  for  their 


anddijlinguipoed from  all  Counterfeits,  407 

Joy,  and  for  all  their  Religion. — A  fpiritual  Sight  and  di- 
vine Senfe  of  the  great  truths  prefuppofed  and  revealed 
in  the  Gofpel,  is  the  Foundation  of  the  godly  Man's  Faith 
and  Holinefs ;  but  a  particular  Thing  no  where  revealed 
in  the  Bible  is  their  Foundation  :  Yea,  2.FalJhood  that  is 
direftly  contrary  to  what  the  Scriptures  plainly  teach. 
And  yet  alas,  they  know  they  are  right ;  they  are,  they  fay, 
as  certain  of  it  as  they  be  of  their  own  Exiftence.  How 
great  is  the  Power  of  Delufion  !  How  awful  is  the  Cafe  of 
a  poor  Creature  forfaken  of  God  !  2  Thef.  2.  10,  11,  12. 
They  received  not  the  Love  of  the  Truth,  that  they  might  he 
faved.  And  for  this  Caufe  Godfhall  fend  them  firongDelufion^ 
that  they  fhould  believe  a  LIE :  That  they  all  might  be  damned j 
who  believed  not  the  Truth ^but  hadPleafure  in  Unrighteoufnefs^ 
But  to  conclude, 
From  what  has  been  faid  concerning  theNature  of  a  true 
Faith  and  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel,  we  may 
not  only  fee  the  Falfenefs  of  thefe  two  Sorts  of  Faith,  but 
alfo  of  all  other  Counterfeits,  which  are  almoft  in  an  endlefs 
Variety.  For  between  thefe  two  Extremes  of  a  legal  and 
evangelical  Hypocrite,  there  lies  a  Thoufand  Bye-Paths, 
in  which  poor  Sinners  wander  to  everlafting  Perdition  ;  in 
the  mean  while  bleflTing  themfelves,  that  they  are  neither 
Arminians  nor  Antinomians  ;  nor  deluded  as  fuch  and  fuch 
be  :  Altho'  they  neither  know  God,  nor  Themfelves,  nor 
Chrift,  nor  the  Way  of  Salvation  thro'  him  ;  and  really 
are  as  deftitute  of  Faith,  Repentance  and  Holinefs,  as  tht 
moft  deluded  Creature  in  the  World. 

Section     VIIL 

Shewing  what  is  implied  in  the  Everlast  11^ G 
Life  promifed  to  Believers^  and  how  Faith 
inter ejis  us  in  Christ. 

."1 , 

I  am  now  in  the  laft  PRce, 
^   y.  To  confidcr  the  Promife  of  Everlafting  Life^  which  is 
in  the  Gofpel  made  to  true  Believers.     God  fo  loved  the 
tVqxldy  that  he^  gave  his  only  begotten  ^onythat  whofoever  be- 

D  d  4  lieveth 


4o8        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  II, 

lieveth  in  him  jhquld  not  Perish,   hut  have  everlasting 
Life. —  In  this  tverlafting  Life  is  implied, 

1 .  The  everlajling  Love  and  Favour  of  God.  Vvliere^s 
hy  the  Difobedience  of  One  many  were  made  Sinners^  andjudg^ 
went  came  upon  all  to  Condemnatio7t^  by  Virtue  of  the  origi- 
nal Conftitution  with  ^i(^;;2.  Rom.  5.  18,  19.  And  whereas 
by  and  according  to  the  Law  of  Nature  the  whole  World 
fiands  Guilty  before  God.  Rom.  3.  19.  Now,  by  Virtue  of  a 
new  Conftitution,  eftablilhed  by  the  God  of  Heaven,  the 
great  Governour  of  the  World,  called  the  Gofpel  or  Cove- 
nant of  Grace,  it  is  appointed  and  as  it  were  confirmed  by 
the  broad  Seal  of  Heaven,  that  any,  whofoever  they  be,  a- 
mong  ail  the  guilty  Race  of  Adam^  who  fall  in  with  this 
Gofpel-Propofal,  and  venture  their  All  upon  this  newPlan, 
this  newFoundation,  this  preciousCorner-Stone  JefusChrifi, 
the  great  Mediator  betweenGod  and  Man,  fhall  thence  for  h 
jfland  free  from  that  double  Condemnation,  and  be  intitied 
unco  the  everlafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God,  the  great 
Governour  of  the  World.  Joh.  3.  18.  Rom.  5.  i,  2.  nere- 
fore  being  jufiified  by  Faith  we  have  Peace  with  God^  thro^  our 
Lord  Jefus  thrift .  By  whom  alfo  we  have  Acctfs  by  Faith 
into  this  Grace  wherein  we  ft  and.,  and  rejoyce  in  Hope  of  the 
Glory  of  God. 

2.  The  other  Part  of  this  everlafling  Life  confiils  in  and 
refults  from  the  everlafling  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  as  a 
San5fifier,  This,  which  Ada^n  loll  by  the  Fail,  is,  upon 
our  Union  with  Chrill  the  fecond  Adaniy  by  Virtue  of  this 
newConltitution,  reilored,  never  to  be  loft  any  more.  Joh. 
7.38.  He  that  helieveth  on  me.,  as  the  Scripture  faith  •,  out  of 
his  Belly  fhall  flow  Rivers  of  living  Water,  if.  39.  This  fpake 
he  of  the  Spirit^  which  they  that  believe  on  himfhould  receive. 
And  therefore  the  Gift  of  the  Holy  Ghoft,  is,  by  tlieApoftles, 
(A^.  2.  38.)  promifed  upon  tlie  Condition  of  Faith.*  And 

therefore 

*  From  the  Nature  0^  juji'if)hig  Taithy  It  is  evident,  that /?^^^«^r^/(3«  ftiuH 
be  prior  to  the  firfl  Adl  of  it  ;  but  aUho'  the  Sinner  be  regeneratedhy 
the  gracious  Muences  of  the  holy  Spirit  before  Faith,  yet  it  is  after 
Faith  and  Union  with  Chrift  that  the  Soul  has  a  Covenant -Right  io 
the  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit ;  which  Co'vevant -Right  lays  a  Foun- 
dation for  the  Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  to  be  cojifant  and  e'ver- 
lajUng  ;  and  this  lays  a  Foundation  for  an  abiding  Principle  and  proper 

Htibit 


and  dijiinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  409 

therefore  as  God  did  of  old  dwell  in  the  Holy  of  Holies 
in  the  Jcwijh  Temple,  in  the  Cloud  of  Glory  j  fo  now 
henceforth  does  he  dwell  in  the  Believer's  Heart  by  his 
holy  Spirit,  as  a  vital  Principle  and  Spring  of  divine  Life 
there.  Job,  15.  i — 5.  And  hence  Believers  are  called //6tf 
Temple  of  God.  i  Cor.  3.  17.  Tlire  Spirit  of  God  is  faid  to 
dwell  in  them.  Rom.  8.  9.  to  lead  them.  ^^  14.  to  give  them 
an  everlafting  Freedom  from  the  Power  of  Sin.  f.  2.  So 
t\i2X  Sin  pall  not  haveDominion  over  them.  Rom.  6.  14.  And 
the  Water  (fays  Chrift)  which  1  will  give  you.,  fb  all  be  in  you  a 
Well  of  Water  ff  ringing  up  into  everlafting  Lif e.Joh.  4.  14. 

It  is  plain  from  the  whole  Tenour  of  the  Gofpel,that  the 
everlafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God^  together  with  the  ever- 
lafting Indwelling  of  the  holy  Spirit  as  a  San^ifier.,  which  are 
the  two  great  Things  which  a  poor  Sinner  wants,  are  the 
two  great  Things promifed  in  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  St.- 
Paul  having  explained  the  Nature  of  the  Gofpel-Way  of- 
Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  and  fhewn  that 
Faith  is  the  only  Condition  of  the  new  Covenant,  in  the 
four  firfl  Chapters  of  his  Epiftle  to  the  Romans  \  proceeds 
to  fhew  the  Benefits  accruing  to  Believers.  Andftrft,  they 
are  juftifted,  and  have  Peace  with  God.  Chap.  5.  Secondly, 
they  are  delivered  from  the  Power  of  Sin.  Chap.  6.  And 
altho'  they  are  in  this  Life  continually  in  aState  of  fpiritual 
Confli6fcand  Warfare.  Chap.  7.  Yet  they  are  influenced  and 
led  and  governed  by  theSpirit  of  God  which  dwells  in  them;^; 
Chap.  8.  And  now  all  Things  (hall  work  for  their  Good, 
and  they  fhall  be  brought  to  Glory  at  laft.  ;^.  28 — 39.  So 
again,  fee  both  thefe  fummed  up  in  Heb.  8.  10,  ii,  12. 
For  this  is  the  Covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  Houfe  of 
Ifrael  after  thofe  Days.,  faith  the  Lord  -,  I  will  put  my  Laws 
into  their  Mind^  and  write  them  in  their  Hearts :  And  I  will 
he  to  them  a  God^  and  they  fhall  he  to  me  a  People,  And  they 
fhall  not  teach  every  Man  his  Neighbour.,  and  every  Man  his 
Brother,  faying^  Know  the  Lord  j  for  all  fhall  know  me,  from 
theleaft  to  the  greateft, —  Here  is  the  everlafting  Indwelling 

Hahii  of  Grace.  So  that  altho'  Regeneration  ht  Before  Faithr,  yet '» 
confirmed  Habit  of  Grace  is  after.  It  refults  from  our  Union  with 
Chrift,.  Joh.  15.  X— r5. ;  And  is  in  Scripture  promiicd  upon  theConv 
^i^pn  of  Faith,  Joh.  5.  24,  ^  7.  3^. 


410        True  Religion  delineated       Dis.  If. 

of  the  holy  Spirit,  together  with  what  refults  therefrom. — 
f.  12.  For  I  will  be  merciful  unto  their  Unrighteoufnefs,  and 
their  Sins  aud  their  Iniquities  will  1  remember  no  more. —  And 
here  is  the  everlafting  Love  and  Favour  of  God. 

And  now  feeing  by  this  new  Conftitution,  this  Covenant 
of  Grace,  true  Behevers  are  thus  intitled  to  the  everlafting 
Love  and  Favour  of  God,  and  to  the  everlafting  Indwelling 
of  the  holy  Spirit  as  San6lifier,in  the  perfedEnjoyment  of 
both  which,  eternal  Life,  in  Heaven,  will  confift  :  Hence 
therefore  they  are  faid  to  have  Life^  yea,  to  to  have  eternal 
Life,  immediately  upon  their  believing  in  Chrift.  i  Joh.  5. 
12.  He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  Life.  Joh. -3.  36.  He  thaf 
helieveth  on  the  Son,  hath  everlasting  Life.  Joh.  5.  24. 
Hath  everlasting  Life,  and  foall  not  come  into  Condem- 
-nation  \  hut  is  faffed  from  Death  unto  Life.  Joh.  17.  3. 
^his  /VLiFE  ETERNAL,  that  they  might  knovo  thee,  the  only 
true  God,  and  Jefus  Chrifl  whom  thou  hafi  fent.  Eternal 
Life  is  begun  in  them,  and  Heaven  begins  to  dawn  in 
their  Souls. 

And  Believers  being  thus  made  the  Subjefls  of  the  ever- 
lafting Love  and  Favour  of  God,. and  of  the  everlafting  In- 
dwelling of  the  holy  Spirit,  they  are  hence  called  the  Chil- 
dren of  God.  Joh.  I.  12.  For  God  loves  them  as  Children., 
and  they  love  him  as  a  Father,  Andthis///^/  Frame  of  Spirit ^ 
whereby  they  are  difpofed  to  reverence,  fear,  love,  truft  in 
and  obey  God  as  a  Father,  live  upon  him  and  live  to  him 
as  a  Father ;  I  fay,  this  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  is  called  the 
Spirit  of  Adoption,  in  Oppofition  to  xhix.  fervile  Frame  of 
Spirit  they  ufed  to  be  under  the  Bondage  of,  before  Faith, 
and  before  they  had  received  the  holy  Ghofi.  Rom.  8.  15. 
For  ye  have  not  received  the  Spirit  of  Bondage  again  to  fear ; 
but  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  Adoption^  whereby  we  cry., 
Abba,  Father. 

And  this  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  hting  peculiar  to  Believers, 
that  which  none  but  Believers  have,  and  which  yet  is  com- 
mon to  all  Believers ;  and  this  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  being 
that  wherein  Believers  bear  the  Image  of  their  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, each  one  refembling  the  Children  of  a  King :  For  they 
view  Things  according  to  their  Meafure,  as  God  does,  and 
love  what  he  loves,  and  make  his  Intereft  their  Intereft, 

and 


and  dtjlinguipoeh  from  all  Counterfeits.  411. 

and  arc  taken  up  with  the  fame  Defigns :  I  fay,  this  filial 
Frame  of  Spirit  being  fuch  2,  peculiar  and  remarkable  Thing, 
and  that  wherein  they  fo  nearly  refemble  God,&  being  alfo  the 
immediate  Product  of  the  Indwelling  and  Influence  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  therefore  in  Scripture  it  is  fpoken  of  as  the 
diftinguifliing  Badge  of  a  true  Believer,  as  a  Mark  whereby 
God's  Children  &  Chrift's  Sheep  are  to  be  known.  This  is 
what  is  called  the  Seal  of  the  Spirit^  in  Eph.  i .  1 3.  And  this 
Seal  is  the  Witnefs^  Evidence  and  Proof  ^\i\c\i  the  holy  Spi- 
rit gives  to  our  ConfcienceSy  that  we  are  the  Children  of  God, 
Rom.  8.  16.  This  filial  Frame  of  Spirit  is  what  fatisfies 
and  azures  the  Children  of  God.  They  feel  the  very  Tem- 
per of  Children  towards  God.  They  feel  a  Heart  to  reve- 
rence &  fear,  love  &  honour  him  as  a  Father  j  a  Heart  to 
go  to  him,  to  truft  in  him,to  be  in  Subje6tion  to  him  &obey 
him,as  aFather.  Andby  this  they  knowtheyare  hisChildren. 
Marvellous  is  the  Change,  v/hich  the  poor  Sinner  paiTes 
thro',  in  that  awful  Hour  of  inexprelTible  Solemnity,  when 
he  firft  comes  into  the  awful  Prefence  of  the  dreadMajefty  of 
Heaven  &  Earth,  thro'  Jefus  Chrift,  the  glorious  Mediator, 
venturing  his  ALL  for  ETERNITY  upon  this  fureFoun- 
dation.  And  now  fromthisTime  forward,he  is  quite  another 
Creature,  under  quite  new  Circumflances.  As  when  Or- 
phan Children,  left  without  a  Guardian  or  a  Guide,  from 
running  Riot  and  indulging  themfelves  in  all  Extravagan- 
ces, are  taken  and  brought  into  the  Family  of  a  wife  and 
good  Man,  and  are  made  his  Children :  he  inftills  new 
Principles  and  a  new  Temper  into  them,  and  puts  them 
under  a  new  Difcipline,  and  all  Things  are  new  to  them. 
So,  here,  from  being  without  God  and  withoutHope  in  the 
World,  and  from  running  to  eternal  Ruin,  we  are  taken 
and  are  brought  into  God's  Family,  have  a  new  Temper 
given  to  us,  have  a  new  Father,  and  are  under  a  new  Go- 
vernment. God's  fatherly  Eye  is  upon  us  every  Hour, 
and  he  is  daily  labouring  to  bring  us  up  to  his  Hand,  to 
train  us  up  to  his  Mind,  to  make  us  fuch  as  he  would  have 
us  be.  He  contrives  and  takes  all  Manner  of  Ways,  by 
his  Spirit,  &  by  his  Providence,  and  by  his  Word,  to  make 
us  more  ferious,  fpiritual  and  heavenly,  more  humble, 
weaned  from  the  World  and  devoted  to  God.    And  thus 

He 


412         7rue  Religion  delineated      Dis.  II. 

He  purgeth  uSy  that  we  may  bring  forth  more  Fruit.  Job.  15.2. 
He  enlightens,  he  leads,  he  teaches,  he  quickens,  he 
flrengthens,he  comforts  us. //6'^.  8.  10,  11,  12.  Ifai.  4.0.  31. 
When  we  want  it,  he  inftruds  us.  i  jfoh.  2.27.  Ja?n  i.  5. 
When  we  want  it,  he  corredts  us.  Heb.  12.6.  And  when 
we  need  it,  he  encourages  and  comforts  us.  2  Cor.  12.  9. 
When  we  love  him  and  keep  his  Commands,  he  manifefts 
himfelf  unto  us.  Joh.  14.  21.  And  when  our  fpiritual 
Enemies  are  too  llrong  for  us,  and  our  Heart  and  our 
Strength  fails,  our  Steps  are  Hipping,  our  Feet  juft  gone  ; 
in  the  diftreffing  Juncture  he  puts  underneath  his  everlaft- 
ing  Arms,  he  takes  us  by  the  right  Hand,  he  prevents 
us  by  his  Grace  -,  and  e'er  we  are  aware,  we  have  gotten 
the  Vidory,  and  begin  to  fay,  IFhom  have  we  in  Heaven 
hut  thee  ?  And  there  is  none  on  Earth  we  deftre  hefides  thee. 
OurFleJh  ^ ourHfart  faileth.butGcdistheStrengthofourHeart^ 
end  our  Portion  for  ever  :  And  O,  //  is  good  for  us  to  draw 
7iear  to  God.  Pfal.  y^.  And  if  at  any  Time  we  forfake  him, 
he  follows  after  us,  and  vijits  cur  Tranfgrejions  with  the 
Rody  and  our  Iniquities  with  Stripes  •,  but  never  breaks  his 
Covenant  with  us.  Pfal.  Z(^.  30 — 34.  He  hedges  up  our 
Way  with  Ihorns.,  &  brings  us  to  a  hearty  Return.  Hof  2, 
6,  7.  And  thus  we  are  kept  by  the  Power  of  God  thro^  Faith 
unto  Salvation.  1  Pet.  i.  5.  And  finally  afe  brought  to  the 
full  Vifionr  and  perfed  Fruition  of  God  to  all  Eternity. 
Rom.  8.  30. 

Now  Faith  m  Chrift  intitles  us  to  all  this,  by  Virtue  of 
that  divine  Conftitution,  which  we  call  the  Gofpel  or  Cove- 
nant of  Grace-,  by  Virtue  of  that  new  and  living  Way  of 
Salvation,  which  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World 
has  contrived  and  provided,  ratified  and  confirmed,  the 
Sum  of  which  is  contained  in  Joh.  ^.16.  Which  Confti- 
tution God  has  been  pleafed  to  confirm  by  an  Oath,  to  the 
Intent  w^  might  have  Strong  Confola^ion^  who  have  fed  for 
Refuge^  to  lay  hold  on  the  Hope  fet  before  us.  He  has  faid. 
He  that  believeth  fhall  be  faved^  and  he  has  confirmed  it  by 
an  Oath^  to  remove  all  Doubt,  and  to  give  the  highelt 
p'Oflible  AiTurance,  Heb.  6.  17,  18,  And  now  being  afllir* 
ed  that  this  Way  of  Salvation  may  be  depended  upon,  a*^ 
being  contrived  and  confirmed  by  God  himfelf  j  hence, 

here 


and  dijlinguijljed from  ail  Cotmterfeifs.  413 

here  we  reft  fecure  and  fafe.  —  We  know  that  this  new 
Conftitution  muft  be  from  God,  becaufe  the  whole  Plan  is 
aJtogcthcr  divine  :  It  is  juft  like  God  :  God  can't  but  be 
plealed  with  it :  It  is  perfe6lly  fuitcd  to  exalt  God,  to 
magnify  the  Law,  to  difcountenance  Sin,  to  humble  the 
Sinner  and  to  glorify  Grace:  and  if  Sinners  are  ever 
faved,  it  is  infinitely  lit  that  they  fhould  be  faved  in  fuch  a 
Way,  and  in  no  other.  There  is  fuch  an  apparent  Refem- 
blance  of  the  divineNature  &Perfe6lions  in  this  wholePlan, 
as  is  fufficient  to  afTure  theHeart  that  it  is  from  God.  None 
but  God  could  be  the  Author  of  it.  2  Cor.  4.  3, 4,  6. — 
And  being  in  thcfirft  Place,  afilired  that  it  is  from  God : 
We  have,  in  the  fecond  Place,  the  higheft  AfTurance  that 
God  will  abide  by  it  and  ad  according  to  it.  For/r/?,  we 
have  his  Proniife  •,  and  fecondly,  \yq  have  his  Oa^b :  So  that 
there  can  be  no  reafonable"  Doubt  remaining.  — And  now 
upon  this  Foundation  does  the  true  Believer  build  all  his 
Hopes  and  Expedlations,  here  is  the  Bottom  of  all.  For 
if  I  am  afTured,  that,  by  divine  Grace,  I  do  rightly  under- 
ftand  the  Gofpel,  and  am  brought  to  a  genuine  Compliance 
therewith  ;  now  then  I  am  fife,  if  the  Gofpel  be  TRUE, 
and  if  that  Way  of  Salvation  may  CERTAINLY  be  de- 
pended on,  if  it  be  no  cunningly  devifedFahle,  but  a  Way  of 
God's  own  Contrivance,  and  which  he  will  CERTAINLY 
abide  by.  A  clear,  rational,  fpiritual  Convidlion  and  AfTu- 
rance of  this,  is  the  very  Anchor  of  the  Souk  fure  andfledfaft, 
Heb.  6.  19. 

If  Mankind  had  remained  in  a  State  o^ pure  Nature,  i.  e. 
under  no  Conftitution  at  all,  under  nothing  but  merely 
the  La'-j)  of  Nature^  i.  e.  To  have  been  guided  and  diredled 
to  their  Duty,  and  to  have  been  rewarded  or  punifhed  by 
God,  only  and  merely  by  and  according  to  the  Reafon  and 
Nature  of  Things  :  If  this  had  been  the  Cafe,  then  fo  long 
as  every  Individual  fhould  be  continued  inBeing  by  God, 
and  fhould  continue  to  love  God  with  all  his  Heart,  and 
obey  him  in  every  Thing ;  fo  long  every  Individual  would 
be  perfedly.  happy.  But  then,  God  might  without  Injuflicc 
let  one  or  all  drop  into  Non-Exiftence,  if  he  pleafed,  and, 
when  he  pleafed,  altho'  pcrfedly  holy.  J^i'  22.  2.  &  ZS-lfJ^. 
Or,  if  he- was  pleafed  to  continue  one  and  allmgeixig  foc'-f 


414  True  Religion  delineated     Dis.  IL 

ever  ;  yet  at  what  Time  foever  any  fhould  commit  the 
leafh  Sin,  that  Soul  fhould  immediately  fink  down  into  an 
eternal  Hell.  Rom,  6.  23.  A  Thoufand  Years  of  peri^dt 
Obedience,  by  the  mere  Law  of  Nature,  not  intitling  to 
any  Promife  for  the  Time  to  come.  God's  giving  and 
continuing  Being  to  us,  and  granting  us  Advantages  to 
know  and  love  and  ferve  him,  would  render  us  infinitely 
indebted  to  God  j  but  our  knowing,  loving  and  ferving 
God  could  not  bring  him  at  all  into  Debt  to  us.  Rom.  11. 
35,  36.  Our  doing  fo  would  naturally  render  us  happy, 
fo  long  as  we  fhould  continue  to  do  fo  ^  but  if,  at  any 
Time,  we  fhould  be  guilty  of  the  leaft  Defect,  all  would 
be  loft,  and  we  undone  for  ever. 

But  then,  by  and  according  to  the  Conftitution  with 
Adam^  Things  v/ere  placed  upon  another  Foot.  The  eter- 
nal Welfare  of  Mankind  was  fufpended  upon  anotherCon- 
dition.  For  according  to  this  Conftitution,  if  Adam  the 
publick-Head  and  Reprefentative  of  Mankind,  had  remain- 
ed obedient  for  fome  certain  Period  of  Time,  he  and  all 
his  Pofterity  would,  by  the  free  and  gracious  Promife  of 
God,  have  been  entitled  to  everlafting  Life  :  as  on  the 
other  Hand,  if  he  finned,  all  would  be  expofed  to  eternal 
Death. 

But  now.  Faith  /;/  Chriji  intitles  us  to  eternal  Life,  by 
Virtue  of  a  new  Conftitution,  called  the  Gofpl  or  Covenant 
of  Grace ^  made  and  confirmed  by  the  God  of  Heaven. 

The  perfect  Obedience  of  Adam^  had  he  ftood,  would 
not  have  intitled  us  to  eternal  Life,  nctwithftanding  he  was 
our  natural  Head,  if  he  had  not  been  made  our  Reprefen- 
tative by  a  divine  Conftitution  :  So  the  perfect  Obedience 
and  SuflTerings  of  Chrift  would  not  have  freed  us  fromCon- 
demnation  and  entitled  us  to  eternal  Life,  whateverDcpen- 
dance  we  might  have  had  upon  him  •,  if  by  a  divine  Con- 
ftitution it  had  not  been  appointed  and  confirmed,  that  h 
that  believeth  jhall  he  faved. 

By  and  according  to  the  Laiz)  of  Nature^  our  own  perfo- 
nal  Obedience  would  have  recommended  us  to  the  Favour 
of  God,  and  laid  the  Foundation  of  our  Happinefs,  fo  long 
as  we  ftiould  have  continued  in  a  State  of  finlefsPerfedion. — 
By  thejirji  Covenant,  the  Conftitution  with  Jdam,  his  per- 
^  -  ^^^ 


end  dijiinguipedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  415 

fe6i:  Obedience,  thro'  his  appointed  Time  of  Trial,  would, 
by  Virtue  of  that  Conftitution  or  Covenant,  have  entitled 
us  to  everlafting  Life. —  By  the  fecond  Covenant^  the  perfedl 
Righteoufnefs  of  Chrift  the  fecond  Adam^  entitles  all  true 
Believers  to  everlafting  Life,  by  and  according  to  this  new 
and  living  Way. 

A  perfed  Righteoufnefs  was  neceffary  according  to  the 
Law  of  Nature,  And  a  perfed  Righteoufnefs  is  infifted 
upon  in  both  Covenants.  According  to  the  Law  of  Na- 
ture, it  was  to  be  performed  perfonally  :  But  according  to 
both  Covenants,  it  is  appointed  to  be  performed  by  z public 
Head. —  According  to  the  firft  Covenant,  we  were  to  have 
been  interefted  in  the  Righteoufnefs  of  our  publick  Head, 
by  Virtue  of  our  Union  to  him  as  his  Pofterity  for  whom 
he  was  appointed  to  ad. —  According  to  the  fecond  Co- 
venant, we  are  interefted  in  the  Righteoufnefs  of  Chrift  our 
public  Head,  by  Virtue  of  our  Union  to  him  by  Faith. 

Cur  Faith  is  that  whereby  we  unite  to  Chrift.  The 
Ad  is  a  uniting  A^.  We  difunite,  feparate  from  and  re- 
nounce, that^  to  which,we  before  were  united  and  did  clofe 
with  and  placed  our  Hopes  upon,  1;/%.  our  ownRighteouf- 
nefs  ;  and  are  no  more  emboldened  by  that  to  come  into 
the  Prefence  of  God  :  And  we  unite  to  Chrift,  defiring  to 
be  found, not  in  our  felves,but  in  him  •,  not  in  our  ownRigh- 
teoufnefs,  but  in  his.  FhiL  3.  8,  9.  And  from  him  we 
take  Encouragement  to  draw  nigh  to  God  -,  we  come  in 
HIS  Name. //fi'.  4.  16.  And  now,  by  Virtue  of  a  divine 
Conftitution  eftablilhed  by  the  Governour  of  the  World, 
all,  who  thus  unite  to  Chrift  by  Faith,  are  confideredas  be- 
ing one  with  him,  fo  as  to  have  an  Intereft  in  what  he  has 
done  and  fufFered  in  theCharader  of  a  Mediator  as  a  publick 
Perfon,  fo  as  upon  the  Account  thereof  to  be  pardoned  and 
received  to  Favour,  and  entitled  to  eternal  Life.  Roin,  5. 
18,  19.  Eph.  I.  6'.  Rom.  3.  24,  25. 

And  now,  this  Faith,  this  uniting  Ad,  being  the  Cojidi- 
tion^  the  07tly  Condition,  required  on  our  Part,  by  the  Cove- 
nant of  Grace,  we  being jujlifed  by  Faith  ^without  the  Deeds 
of  the  Law  •,  Hence,  Faith  is  faid  to  be  imputed  to  us  for 
Righteoufnefs.  Rom.  4.  For  Righteoufnefs,  i.  e.  for  that  = 
whereby  '^tfiand  Right  according  to  the  Tenour  of  the  new 

Covenant, 


4 1 6        True  Religion  delineated       D  i  s .  IL 

Covenant,  i.  e,  for  a  full  Comfliance  with  the  Condition  of 
the  new  Covenant.  As  perfed  Obedience  was  a  Compli- 
ance with  the  Covenant  of  Works  ^  fo  Faith  is  a  Compli- 
ance with  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  Now  as  perfect  Obedi- 
ence, thro'  his  whole  Time  of  Trial,  would  have  been  im- 
puted to  Adam  for  Righlscufnefs^  i.  e.  for  a/z///  Compliance 
with  the  Condition  of  that  Covenant :  So  now  Faith  is  im- 
puted for  Right eoufncfs^  i.  e.  for  2ifuU  Compliance  with  the 
Condition  of  this  Covenant.  For  St.  Paul  had  but  juft 
been  proving,  that  v/e  -jixtjujiificdhy  Faith  aloxe,  without 
the  Deeds  of  the  Law  -,  and  now  this  being  the  only  Con- 
dition required,  therefore  he  fays,  it  is  accounted  as  a  full 
Compliance  with  the  new  Covenant,  /.  e.  it  is  imputed  for 
Right eoufnefs.  It  being  the  only  Thing  required  as  a  Con- 
dition of  Life,  by  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  hence  it  is  looked 
upon  in  the  Sight  of  God  accordingly,as  beinga/i«//Com- 
piiance  with  that  Covenant. —  The  Covenant  of  Works  in- 
fifled  upon  perfect  Obedience,  becaufe  Adam  was  to  have 
beenjuftifiea,  merely  by,  and  wholly  upon  the  Account  of, 
his  own  Virtue  and  Goodnefs :  And  theCovenant  of  Grace 
infifls  uiponFaith  alone  without  theDeeds  of  the  L^'ze;,becaufe 
now  we  are  juilified,  merely  by,  and  wholly  upon  the  Ac- 
count of,  Chrifl's  Virtue  or  Righteoufnefs,  without  Re- 
gard to  anyGoodnefs  in  us.  But  to  him  that  worketh  not, 
but  helieveth  on  him  that  juftifieth  the  Ungodly,  his  Faith 
is  counted  for  Righteoufnefs.  Rom.  4.  5.  i.  e.  for  a  full 
Compliance  with  the  new  Covenant,  without  the  Deeds  of 
the  Law.  For  as  to  a  legal  Right eoufiiefs.,  Chrifl  is  the  End 
cf  the  Law  for  Righteoufnefs  to  them  that  believe.  Riom.10.5. 
And  in  that  Senfe,we  are  not  to  be  found  in  ourownRigh- 
teoufnefs,  but  in  his.  Phil.  3.8. 

Thus,  according  to  the  Law  of  Nature,  every  Man 
would  have  been  juilified  by  his  own  perfonal  Righteouf- 
nefs. And  according  to  the  firft  Covenant,  every  Child  of 
Ada?H  would  have  been  juilified  by  Adam's  Righteoufnefs 
as  publick  Head.  And  according  to  the  fecond  Covenant, 
every  Behever  is  to  be  juilified  by  Chriil's  Righteoufnefs 
as  another  pubhck  Head.  The  firft  of  thefe  Ways  takes 
k*s  Rife  from  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  Things  •,  but  the 
fecond  and  third  from  the  pofitive  Appointment  of  God. 

The 


and  dtjltngutped from  all  Counterfeits.  417 

The  Angels,  it  feems,  were  dealt  with  according  to  thelirfl: 
of  thefe  Ways,  only  their  State  of  Probation,  thro'  Grace, 
not  to  be  perpetual  -,  for,no  Doubt,thofc  that  flood,  are  now 
in  a  confirmed  State  :  but  Mankind  are  dealt  with  accor- 
ding to  the  fccond  and  third. 

The  firft  of  thefe  Ways  a  fallen  World  pretend  fomt 
liking  to,  but  the  other  two  have  given  great  Offence. 
"  How  is  it  right  we  fhould  be  condenaned  for  Adam's  Sin  ? 
*'  Or  with  what  Propriety  can  we  be  juftified  on  the  Ac- 
"  count  of  Chrift's  Righteoufnefs  ?"  is  the  Language  of 
very  many.  "  It  is  unjuft  to  condemn  me  for  the  Sin  of 
"  another,  and  abfurd  to  juftify  me  for  another's  Righte- 
oufnefs," fay  they.  And  as  to  the  fiirfl  of  thefe  Ways,they 
would  have  the  Law  abated  in  what  it  requires,  and  quite 
difannul'd  as  to  it's  threatening  Death  for  the  leaft  Sin. 
They  would  have  what  they  call  fincere  Obedience  admit- 
ted as  a  Condition  of  Life,  and  Repentance  to  be  accepted 
in  Cafe  of  Sin.  So  that  an  apoftate  World  are  naturally 
equally  at  Enmity  againft  the  firft,  fecond  and  third,  right- 
ly underftood.  For  they  think  it  full  as  unjuft  that  God 
fhould  damn  us  for  the  leaft  Dcfedl  of  perfedl  Obedience, 
as  for  Adam's  firft  Sin.  And  it  is  nothing  but  divineLight 
can  bring  the  Heart  of  a  Sinner  fincerely  to  approve  of  the 
Law  of  Nature,  of  the  Conftitution  with  Adam^  and  of  the 
Gofpel  of  Chrift.  For  (i  Cor.  2.  14.;  the  natural  Man 
receiveth  not  the  Things  of  the  Spirit  of  God  :  for  they  are 
Foolifhnefs  unto  him  j  neither  can  he  know  them^  becaufe  they 
are  fpiritually  difcerned.  He  does  not  difcern  the  Ground 
and  Reafon  of  the  Law  of  Nature,  being  Wind  to  the  infi- 
nite Beauty  of  the  divine  Perfedlions  :  and  fo  is  incapaci- 
tated to  have  a  right  View  and  Senfe  of  the  Nature  of  the 
iirft  Covenant  or  the  fecond.  And  being  a  Stranger  and 
an  Enemy  to  God,  he  alfo  naturally  doubts,  whether  he 
has  full  Power  and  rightful  Authority  to  make  fuch  Con- 
ftitutions  ;  he  diflikes  theConftitutions  ;  he  queftions  God*S 
Authority  to  make  fuch  j  their  being  fo  plainly  held  forth 
in  theBible,tempts  many  to  call  even  theTruth  of  that  into 
Queftion  ;  and  fome  are  driven  qidite  to  open  Infidelity. 

There  is  a  fecret  Infidelity  in  the  Hearts  of  unregeneratc 
Men.     They  do  not  love  that  divine  Scheme  of  Truths  re- 

E  e  vealed 


41 8  True  Religion  delineated    Dis.  11. 

"Sealed  in  the  Bible,  nor  cordially  receive  it  for  true.  Men 
love  to  cut  out  a  Scheme  of  Religion  in  their  Heads,  to 
fuiu  the  Temper  of  their  Hearts.  And  from  this  Root 
do  all  the  falfe  and  erroneous  Principles,  which  fill  the 
Chriftian  World,  originally  take  their  Rife.  2  Tbef.  2.  10, 
II,  12.  But  when  he  that  commanded  the  Light  to  fhine 
out  of  Darknefs,  Ihines  in  the  Heart  and  gives  fpiritual 
Light ;  then  the  Reafonablenefs,  Beauty  and  Glory  of  the 
whole  Scheme  appear,  and  the  very  Refemblance  of  the 
divine  Perfections  is  to  be  feen  in  every  Branch  of  it.  And 
now  it  is  cordially  believed.  "Job,  8.  47.  And  hereby  a 
folid  Foundation  is  laid  for  a  real  Conformity  to  the  Law, 
and  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel  \  in  both  which 
true  Religion  does  confift. 

Thus  we  have  gone  thro'  what  was  propofed.  And  wc 
fee  why  God  the  great  Governour  of  the  World  did  confi- 
der  Mankind  as  periJJjing^  fallen,  finful,  guilty,  juftly  con- 
demned, heiplefs  and  undone  :  and  we  fee  that  his  Defign 
of  Mercy  originally  took  it's  Rife  from  the  meer  felf-mov- 
ing  Goodnefs  of  his  Nature,  and  fovereign  good  Pleafure  : 
and  we  fee  the  NecelTity  there  was  of  a  Mediator,  and  how 
the  Way  of  Life  has  been  opened  by  him  whom  God  has 
provided  :  And  wc  fee  wherein  a  genuineCompliance  with 
the  Gofpel  does  confift,  and  the  Nature  of  a  true  Faith  in 
Chrift  :  And  we  fee  what  is  implied  in  the  everlafting  Life 
that  is  promifed  to  Believers,  and  how  Faith  interefts  us  in 
the  Promife,  and  how  that  die  Covenant  is  in  all  Things 
well  ordered  and  fure. —  And  now  there  is  a  wide  Field 
opened  for  a  la^-ge  Improvemxnt,  in  many  dodlrinal  and 

pradical  Inferences  and  Remarks. For, 

■  I.  It  is  very  natural  to  make  the  fame  Obfervations  here 
with  Regard  to  a  genuine  Compliance  with  the  Gofpel^  as 
were  before  made  with  Refpe61:  to  a  real  Conformity  to  the 
Law.  For,  from  what  has  been  faid,  we  may  eafily  fee, 
wherein  confifts  thatLife  of  Faith  in  Chrift,  which  true  Be- 
lievers live  ^ — That  all  unregenerateMcn  are  entirely  dcftitute 
of  this  true  Faith  in  Chrift  ;  — Yea,  diametrically  oppofite 
thereunto  in  the  Temper  of  their  Minds  ^ — And  therefore 
can't  be  brought  to  it  but  by  the  almighty  Power  and  all-. 

conquering 


and  dijiinguijhedfrom  all  Counterfeits.  415 

conquering  Grace  of  God  ♦,  —  That  there  is  nothing  in 
them  to  move  God  to  do  this  for  therra,  but  every  Thing 
to  the  contrary  —  That  God  is  at  perfeft  Liberty  to  have 
Mercy  on  whom  he  will  according  to  his  fovereign  Plea- 
fure —  That  it  is  reafonable  to  think,  that  the  fame  fove- 
reign good  Pleafure,  which  moves  him  to  be  the  Author, 
will  move  him  to  be  the  Finifher  of  our  Faith  —  That  true 
Faith,  being  thus  fpecincally  different  from  every  Counter- 
feit,  may  therefore  be  difcerned  and  known,  &c.  But  be- 
caufe  I  have  already  been  Larger  than  at  firfl  I  defigned, 
therefore  I  will  omit  thefe,  and  all  other  Remarks  which 
might  be  made  •,  and  will  conclude,  -  ^ 

2.  With  only  this  one  Obfervation,  viz.  That  if  thefe 
Things  be  true,  which  have  been  faid  concerning  the  Na- 
ture of  Faith  and  the  Way  of  Salvation  by  free  Grace  thro' 
Chrift,  and  concerning  that  View  of  Things  which  the 
trueBeliever  has  ;  then  nothing  is  more  plain  and  evident, 
than  that  the  true  Believer  muft  needs  feel  himfelf  to  be 
under  the  ilrongeil  Obligations  poflible,  to  an  entire  De- 
"votednefs  to  GOD  and  a  Life  of  univerfal  Holinefs.  Every 
Thing  meets,  in  that  View  of  Things  which  he  has,  to 
bind  his  Soul  for  ever  to  the  Lord.  One  main  Defign  of 
the  Gofpel  was  to  make  Men  holy  •,  and  it  is  in  it's  Na- 
ture perfediy  well  adapted  to  anfwer  the  End. 

For  now  all  the  natural  Obligations,  we  are  under  to 
love  God  and  live  to  him,  are  feen  in  a  divineLight  ;  fuch 
as  arife  from  the  infinite  Excellency  of  the  divine  Nature, 
God's  entire  Right  to  us  andAuthority  over  us  :  And  their 
binding  Nature  is  exhibited  in  a  more  ftriking  and  affed- 
ing  Manner  in  the  Gofpel,  than  in  the  Law  ;  the  Crofs  of 
Chrift  gives  a  more  lively  Reprefentation  of  the  infinite 
Evil  of  Sin,  than  all  the  Thunders  of  Mount  Sinai,  And 
a  Sight  of  our  naturalObligations  are  attended  with  aSenfe' 
of  all  the  additional  facred  Ties,  arifing  from  the  infinite 
Goodnefs  of  God  to  a  guilty  ruined  World  in  providing- 
a  Saviour,  and  from  the  dying  Love  of  Chrift,  and  from', 
the  free  Gift  of  converting  Grace,  and  from  pardoning; 
Mercy,  and  from  God's  Covenant-Love  and  Faithfulnef?; 
and  from  the  raifed  Expedations  of  eternal  Glory  :'Aiif 
which  muft  join  to  beget  a  right  S^nk  of  Sia,  •  as  beirV^-^i^ 


4.2Q  Trm  Religion  delineated     Dis.  11. 

Thing,  in  it  felf,  the  moft  unfit,  unreafonable  and  wicked, 
as  well  as  infinitely  difingenuous  and  ungrateful  to  God, 
and  concur  to  make  it  appear  as  the  worft  of  Evils,  the 
mofi  to  be  hated,  dreaded,  watched  and  prayed  againft. 
And  a  humble  Heart,  full  of  Self-Diffidence,  and  under  a 
Senfe  of  the  divine  All-fufficience,  and  in  a  firm  Belief  of 
the  Truth  of  theGofpel,  will  moft  naturally,  and  as  it  were 
continually,  apply  it  felf,  by  Faith  and  Prayer,  to  God 
thro'  Chrift,  to  be  kept  from  all  Sin,  and  to  be  preferved 
to  the  heavenly  Kingdom.  So  that  thofe  Views,  which  the 
true  Believer  has,  have  tlie  ftrongeft  Tendency  to  univer- 
fal  Holinefs,  and  do  naturally  lay  a  folid  Foundation  for  it. 
And  thofeViews  are  not  only  maintained  in  a  greater  or  lefs 
Degree  from  Day  to  Day,  by  the  gracious  Influence  of  the 
holy  Spirit,  which  dwells  in  them  ;  but  are  increafing  and 
brightening  thro'  the  Courfe  of  their  Lives.  So  that  as  the 
grand  Defign  of  the  Gofpel  is  to  make  Men  holy,  fo  it  is 
perfedly  well  adapted  in  it's  Nature  to  anfwer  the  End. 
And  therefore  be  that  is  horn  of  Gcd^ftnneth  not  -,  and  how 
jhall  we  that  are  dead  to  Sin,  live  any  longer  therein  ?  And 
fuch  like  Scriptures,  muft,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  be 
found  to  be  true,  in  the  Experience  of  every  real  Believer. 
Nor  can  any  but  gracelefs  Hypocrites  be  emboldened,  by 
the  Doctrines  of  tree  Grace,  to  fin,  as  it  were  upon  free 
Coft  :  and  a  double  Vengeance  will  they  puM  down  upon 
their  guilty  Heads. 

B^icuiarly,the  wholeFrame  &  Tenour  of  theGofpel  na- 
turally tends  to  excite  us  to  a  univerfal  Benevolence  to  Man- 
kind in  Imitation  of  the  infinite  Goodnefs  of  the  divine 
Nature  •,  and  even  to  be  benevolent  &  kind  to  the  Evil  and 
Unthankful,  &  to  thofe  in  whom  there  is  no  Motive  to  ex- 
cite-our  goodwill,  but  much  to  tlie  contrary  ;  and  to  love 
our  Enemies,  and  blefs  them  that  curfc  us,  and  do  Good 
to  them  that  hate  us,  and  pray  for  them  that  defpitefully 
ufcus  and  perfecutc  us.  It  is  impollible  when  we  fee  the 
infinite  Beauty  of  the  felf-moving  Goodnefs  of  the  divine 
Nature  as  exercifcd  in  the  whole  Afiiair  of  ourRedemption 
and  Salvation,  towards  Creatures  fo  infinitely  vile,  unwor- 
thy and  ill-ckfcrving,  but  that  we  fliould  love  that  glori- 
ous GoodneCi,   angl.  hn  chan<^d  intp  tl\e  fame  Image,   and 

have 


and difitnguijhed from  all  Counterfeits.  421 

have  it  become  natural  to  us  to  love  Enemies,  and  forgive 
Injuries,  and  be  like  God.     A  malicious  Chriftian^  2.  fpight- 
fid  Believer^  is  the  greatefl:  Contradiction,  and  the  moft  un- 
natural Thing. 

That  which  has  had  no  fmall  Hand  in  bringing  theDoc- 
trines  of  Grace  into  Contempt  in  the  World,  as  tending  to 
JLicentioufnefs,  is  partly  becaufe  they  have  not  been  rightly 
undexflood,  and  partly  thro^  the  wicked  Lives  of  gracelcfs 
Hypocrites,  who  have  made  a  high  ProfefTion.  What  re- 
mains now  therefore  but  that  the  People  of  God,  by  holy 
and  exemplary  Lives,  fhould  convince  the  Worki,thatthefe 
are  Do£irines  according  to  Godlinefs. 

J  befeech  you  therefore  by  the  Mercies  of  God^  that  ye  pre- 
fent  your  Selves  a  living  Sacrifice^  holy  and  acceptable  to  Gody 
which  is  your  reafonable  Service.  For  you  are  not  your  own^ 
hut  bought  with  a  'Price  :  And  that  not  of  Silver  and  Gold, 
but  of  the  precious  Blood  of  the  Son  of  God  j  and  therefore 
live  no  more  to  your  Selves^  but  to  him  that  died  for  you.  And 
be  ye  Followers  of  God  as  dear  Children.  Bleffed  be  God^  for 
the  unfpeakabk  Gift  of  his  Son,     Amen. 


FINIS. 


THE 


Contents  of  th^firft  Difcourfe. 


CT^Rue  Religion  confijis  in  a  Confor- 

-^    mity  to  the  Law  and  Compliance 
njcith  the  Gofpel.  Fage    I 

^he  Law   requires  us  to  Love  God 

j^  with  all  our  Hearts,  and  our 
Neighbour  as  our  felves.  2 

Lonse  to  God  implies  right  Appre- 
henfions  of  him y  afida  Senfe  of  his 
Amiablenefs.  3 

7hat  nve  elleem  him,  fo  as  to  exult 
in  his  Supremacy.  7 

^0  <value  his  Honour  &'  IntereJI,  as 
to  he  devoted  to  him.  9 

So  delight  in  him,  as  to  live  upon  him 
as  the  Portion  of  our  Souls.  1 2 

Lonje  to  God  takes  its  Rife  o)i- 
ginally,from  a  Senfe  of  his  infnite 
Glory  and  Amiablenefs.  1 6 

His  infinite  Glory  rejults  from  all 
hisPerfefHons.  17 

All  his  PerfeSiions  are  manifefied 
in  his  Works.  1 8 

And  inhis  Word.  42 

A  Senfe  of  his  Glory  is  imparted  to 
the  Soul  by  the  immediate  Influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  45 

^he  infinite  Glory  and  Amiablenefs 
cf  God  lays  us  under  fiicb  an  Obli- 
gation to  lonje  Godi  as  is  binding, 
antecedendy  to  any  felfiih  Conji^ 
deration.  46 

Infinitely.  48 

Eternally.  57 

And  unchangeably.  59 

And  from  hence  all  our  Other  Obli- 
gatiom  to  lonje  and  luor/hip  him.  at 
GODiOriginally  deri've  their  bind- 
ing Nature.  77 

*— 1 — AJhort  Vie^jo  of  our  additio- 

|ial  Obligations  to  lo^je  God.     8 1 

Honjothey  influence  a  true  Saint.      S  5 


True  Lo've  diflinguifoed  from  all 
Counterfeits.  89 

The  Laiv  requires  us  to  lo've  God 
with  all  our  Hearts.  93 

Making  no  Allowances  becaufe  of 
our  Difinclination.  95 

But  fince  it  requires  no  more  than  all 
the  Heart,  //  /V  juft  ^  equal.  97 

It  bmig  upon  a  Level  tfjith  our  na- 
tural Capacities.  98 

And  our  Inability  topcrfeB  Holinefs 
a7-ifes  only  from  cur  V>2i6iit(s.      99 

Which  Badnefs  nve  are  ^voluntary 
in.  104 

There  is  no  Reafon  nxihy  the  Law 
flyould  be  dhzXtA.  108 

We  are  nvhoUy  to  blame  for  not 
perfedUy  conforming  to  it.         1 10 

Even  the  Heathen  are  without 
Excufe.  114 

Much  more  inexcufable  are  thofe 
nx:ho  enjoy  the  Benefit  of  di'vine 
Revelation.  1 2 1 

GOD  is  mider  no  natural  Obligati- 
ons, to  grant  fupernatural  Ad- 
vantages to  any  of  the  Children  of 
Men.  127 

And  may  therefore  aB  fovereignly 
in  doing  fo.  128 

Love  to  our  Neighbour  im- 
plies Elleem.  1 3 1 

Benevolence.  133 

And  Delight.  ibid. 

And  is  in  ifs  oivn  Nature  right   and 

^^'    .  .    ^  .   '34 

And  enjoined   by   the  Authority    of 

God.  136 

^/z^  recommended  by  the  Example 

of  God,  in  the  Exercifes  of  his  in" 

finite  Goodneff  to^vards  the  Children 

of  Men,  ibid. 

ArJ 


The   CONTENTS. 


And  ought,  to  be  regulated  agreahly 
to  a  true  Self-love.  1 37 

Afid  is  ahvays  attended  i.':ith  true 
Lonje  to  God.  139 

//  is  a  Thing  different  from  na- 
tural Compaflion.  140 

From  good  Humour.  ihiJ. 

From  natural  Affeftion.  ibid. 

From  Party-fpirited  Lo^ve.  141 

From  any  Lo^je  nvhatfocnjcr^  that 
arijcs  merely  from  Self-love.    142 

And  from  the  Lcve  njjhich  Enthufi- 
afts  and  Hereticks  ha've  to  one 
another.  143 

—  Lo<ve  to  God  end  cur  Neighbour 
is  a  radical  Conformity  to  the 
whole  Law.  143 

And  lays  the  Fcundatiott  for  all  true 
Obedience.  144 

A7id  is  that  nxshereby  true  Religion  is 
difinguifhed  from  all  Counter- 
feits. 141; 

Which  all  arifc  frcrn  Sclf-Iove.  146 

—  Fro7n  the  n.vhole  tve  may  learUy 
What  that  Image  of  GOD  n.vasy 
in  ^vhich  Adam  ^ivas  created.    149 

That  nve  are  born  deftitute  thereof. 

152 

And  natinjely  ho.'ve  a  Temper  con- 
trary thereto.  1 5  3 

Which  Temper  has  the  intire  Go- 
verament  o/'w/.  156 

^0  that  all  njje  doytvhile  unregene- 
rate,  ?V  Sin.       ,  175 

And  therefore  our  bell  Doings  cant 
intitle  us  to  any  Promife  ofjpecial 
Grace.  176 

— Converfion  confifs  in  our  Reco-very 
from  this  fnful  Temper y  to  the 
moral  Image  of  God,  by  the  Influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit.  1 79 

llnd  becaufe  ive  are  naturally  in- 
clined to  refill  his  Influences  ivitb 
all  our  Mighty  183 

Therefore  they  muji  be  fuch  cs  nve 
can't  reffl,  or  <we  Jhall  nc'ver  he 
reco'vered.  1 90 

Whijh  efft^ual  Grace  is  difpenfcd 
according  to  God''s  fovereign  good 
Ple'afure,  'and flo^j:s  fro7n  ^/j  Self- 
moving  Gcodncfs.  191 


And  "'tis  natural  to  fuppofey  that  he 
'who  in  fuch  ^jjife  begins  this  Worky 
w:ill  carry  it  on,  and  fo  all  true 
Saints  perfevere  to  the  End.      195 

That  they  muJi  expeSl  fpiritual 
Conflids  from  remaining  Corrup- 
tion.  198 

Yet  Affurance  w<7y  be  obtained.  200 

Tkcfe  Confequences  are  unde7iiable^ 
if  the  Prejnifes,  touching  the  Na^ 
tiire  of  the  Law,  are  true.      208 

But  if  the  Law  is  abated  and  al- 
tered, the  ^vhole  Scheme  is  under- 
mined, ibid. 

And  fo  is  the  nvhole  Gofpel'Rt'v ela- 
tion as  much.  2 1 1 

Or,  if  the  Lanu  means  fomething 
elfe  than  wchatis  juppofed.         2I4 

But  if  the  Idea,  ^jfhich  the  Pela- 
gians a77d  Arminians  ha've  of  God 
a7:d  the  Lan.v,  is  right y  Sin  can  de- 
fer^ve  no  Punilliment,:«  this  World, 
or  the  next.  2 1 5 

Nor  can  the  Scriptures  then  be  the 
Word  of  GOD.  218 

Rules  o/Trial.  220 

The  Caufe  -xtv  ha<ve  to  be  humble, 
—and  thankful,—  and  li've  intirely 
devoted /o  GOZ).    229,237,238. 

The  Happinefs  of  fo  doing.  242 

Various  Quest  ions  occafio- 
nally  confidered  in  the  firll 
Difcourfe. 

jS  it  any  Matter  'what  Mens  Prin- 

•^  ciples  bcy  if  their  Lives  are  but 
good  'f  Page      4 

Will  fpeculative  Ideas  of  God  be- 
get a  Senfe  of  his  Amiablenefs, 
in  a  Heart  that  has  no  Tafle  for 
moral  Beauty  ?  ibid. 

Does  all  our  Enmity  againji  GOD 
arife  merely  from  our   concei'virtg  '-• 
him  to  be  our  Enemy  ?  7 

Ar£  all  Tlmigs  right,  or  wrong, 
mc7-eh  becaufe  GOD  wills  them  fo 
to  be'?  29 

Or  merely  hcc.^zife  they  do  or  do  not 
te7:d  tB  make  vs  happy  ?  30 

'-'^^^-^.^-Ho'vt  ■ 


The  C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S. 


ffow  nvas  it  confident  'v:ith  God's 
Goodnefs  to  permit  Sin  ?  40 

Does  ferft^  Obedience  defer've  nvy 
Thanks  at  the  Hands  of  God  ?  49 

/;:  rvjhat  Senfe  are  cur  good  Works 
rewardable  ?  50 

Is  Sin  an  infinite  Enjil  ?  and  docs  it 
defernje  an  \Yiiivi\X.tPiiniJJ:tncnt  ?  ^\ 

Can  future  Obedience  make  the  leaf 
AmtndiS  for  paf  Sins  ?  56 

Will  the  Sinfuhiefs  and  Mifery  of 
the  Damned  he  for  ever  increaf- 
ing.  58 

Is  the  Law  abated  ?        60,95,21 1 

Or  ^wholly  repealed  ?  65 

What  Infuence  ha^ve  falfe  Notions 
of  the  Law  en  Mcr^s  Religion  ?  66 

What  do  Antinomians  make  their 
Rule  of  Duty  ?  67 

Jre  the  Threatnings  of  the  Lan.>j 
in  Force  ?  70 

Can  a  Man,  merely  from  Self-love, 
lo<-je  God  more  than  himfelf  /^   9  3 

Is  our  Impotency  only  moral  ?      94 

Are  nx:e  to  Blame  for  cur  fpiritual 
Blindnefs  ?  99 

Cr  far  our  corrupt  Nature  ?       103 

What  is  it  that  brings  awakened 
Sinners  to  take  all  the  Blame  to 
themfelves,  ^  juftifyGOD  ?  1 10 

Do  true  Believers  feel  themfehes 
fvjhclly  to  Blame  for  not  being  per- 
feaiy holy  ?^  III 

Does  God's  witholding  the  fojifli- 
fying  hifucnces  of  his  holy  Spirit 
leffen  cur  Blame  <'  1 1 3 

Why  does  the  Scripture,  in  feme 
Places,  fpcak  of  the  external  Ad- 
tfantagej  of  Gods  'vifible  People,  as 
ieingmOTc  than  barely  (uihdentfcr 
their  becoming  good  Men,^  as  the* 
their  Fonuer  nj^as  fufficient,  altho 
the  fan£lifying  Infuences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  nuere  ivitheld from 
them?  X2I 


What  is  corrupt  Nature  ?  153 

Is  it  natural,   or  contra«^ed  ?      154 
Are  the  Unregenerate  intirely  un- 
der the  Gonjernment  of  it  ?      156 
Wherein   does   the    Sinfulnefs    of  it 
confiji  ?  157 

Why   do7it    Mankifid   fee  the   Sin- 
fulnefs of  it  ?  161 
Do   all  adlual    Si?is   proceed  from 


it? 


163 


Why  are  Sinners  fo  averfe  to  the 
true  Knowledge  of  God,  and  fo 
blind  to  his  Beauty  P  1 66 

What  is  the  Nature  of  retraining 
Grace  ?  *  168 

How  came  our  Nature  to  be  cor- 
rupted ?  171 

What  Gooddoesitdo  for  Sinners /<? 
ufe  ^>^ifMeans  of  Grace  ?  178,381. 

What  is  the  fhorteft  and  eafieft  Me- 
thod to  bring  the  7nain  Contro'ver- 
fes  betrMcen  Arminians  ^?7.'^  Cal- 
vinifls  to  a  fnal  Ifjue  ?    193,207 

Ho^jj  is  the  DoHrine  of  Perfeve- 
rance  confifent  <ivith  all  the  Cau- 
tions gi'ven  to  Believers  to  take 
heed  left  they  fall  ?  197 

Is  it  a  Sin  for  Believers  enjer  to 
doubt  of  their  good  Efate  ?    205 

What  is  the  mofl  fundamental 
Difference  betn^een  the  Arminians 
/?«^  Calvinifts  ?  214 

In  njjhat  Senfe  ere  I'jicked  Men 
ignorzntof  their  o'wnHcsits  ?  229 

Why  dies  a  Sight  of  the  StriSbiefs 
of  the  Law  difcourage  Hypocrites, 
and  kill  their  Religion  f  236 

Are  Believers  ever  as  blind  and 
dead,  and  as  much  (without  allfpi' 
ritual  Strength^  as  Unbelievers  ? 
241 
See  alfo  -P^^^  181,199,226,399, 
408. 


The 


The  Contents  of  thtfecojtd Difcourfe. 


n^HE  Ir.tr oduSiion.        Page     247 

Of  the    Trinity,    ^nd   of  the 

Charafter  each  Pcrfcn  fiijiains  in 

the  A  fair  of  our  Salvation.    Z/^() 

GOD  does  in  the  GofpeV  ccnjider  us 
as  in  a  perifhing  Condition,       253 

Becaufe  of  car  origi?ial  Apojlacy  in 
Adam.  255 

Who  nvas  conjiituted  our  publick 
Head.  ;i55 

Which  Conflitiition  nvas  njcell  fuited 

fty  the  general  Good  of  Mankind. 

261 

j4nd  God  had  Power  or  Right  to 
make  it.  263 

And  bscaufe  <we  are  apoflate  Crea^ 
turesy  271 

Enemies  to  GOD,  272 

Jnd  averfe    to    a    Reconciliation, 

ihid 

As  fuch  the  Gpfpel  confdersus.   274 

■  ■■'  GOD  ijuas  not  tnonjed  to  pro - 
<vide  a  Saviour/or  us,  under  any 
Notion  that  the  Conjiitution  ijcith 
Adam  HAjas  unjuft.  275 

Or  the  Laiv  of  Nature  too  fe- 
vere.  277 

Or  that  our  Impotency  rende7-s  us 
/>^^  lefs  to  Blame.  281 

Or  from  any    Expe^ation   that  ive 

Jhould,  of  our  o^xvn  free  Accord,   fo 

much  as  heartily  thank  him  for  it. 

284 

But  intirely  from  his  own  Self- 
moving  Goodnefs^y^f^  and  fo<ve- 
reign  Grace.  285 

— The  NeceJ/ity  of  Satisfadlion 

•  for  Sin  a  rguedfrom  ^/^^Perfedions 
efGOD.  295 

From  Scripture.  308 

And  from  Fad.  309 

The  NeceJ/ity  of  the  Law's  being 
obeyed.  314 

1— T-/^^  Sufficiency  e/'CHRIST's 
Satisfa£lion  and  Merit  321 

He  ivas  fit  to  be  a  Mediator  be- 
tiveen  God  and  Man.  ^zz 

Was  authorized.  325 

'And  ixhat  he  has  done,  is  per- 
fialy  fuited,  in  its  o^n  Nature, 
to anf<wer all theEn^^i  propofd.'^z^ 


■  GOD  may  no^v,  thro    Chrijf, 

confifcyitly  nvith  his  cnvn  Honour, 
fave  a72y  that  believe.  337 

And  ufe  Hjchat  Means  he  pleafes  for 
theReconjcry  of  objlinateS inner  ^^.^^^ 

A  Vie<iv  of  the  Methods  of  divine 
Grace  ^vith  Mankind,  from  the 
Beginning  of  the  World.  3  60 

-^genuineCompliance  --voith 

the  Gofpel.  384 

5'^-x7>j- Faith.  388 

//  rcfu Its  from  divine  Light.       389 

Which  lays  a  Foundation  for  a  fuper- 
natural  ^elMofthe  Gofpel.  ibid. 

Regeneration,  Faith,  Repentance  and 
Con<verfon  conne£led/«9p-^/i'^r.ibid 

Spiritual  Light  ^  /;-«^Faith  alavays 
in  Proportion.  "  390 

Humility  and  true  Faith  alivays  in 
Proportion.  391 

What  encourages  the  Sinner  to  be- 
lie'vein  CHRIST.  392 

The  Ad  of  Faith  defined.  593 

Faith  in  Chrift  emboldens  the  hum- 
bled Si?iner  to  return  to  God  and 
trufi  in  him.  ibid. 

The  various  ASlings  of  Faith  diHin- 
guilhed.  394 

Faith  and  Holinefs  airways  in  Pro- 
portion. 397 

True  Faith  habitual,  growing,  and 

perfevering.  399 

The  Faith   of  the  Legal  and  of  the 

Evangelical  Hypocrite,  defcribed, 

401,405 

— —  The  Everlafting  Life  pro- 
mifedto  Belie'vers  implies  the  e'ver" 
lafting  Love  b'  Favour  of  GOD, 
and  the  e^erlaf  inglvAw^ oil  n^  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  as  a  SanSlifier, 
407,408 

Of  the  Spirit  of  Adoption.        410 

Of  the  Seal  a/?^  Witncfs  of  the  Sj)i- 
rit.  41 1 

See  alfo  Page  204 

Of  the  marvellous  Change  made  by 
^r^^^  Converfion.  411 

Ho^  Fa.th  interefis  us  in  CHRIST 
ajid  intitles  us  to  Life.  4 1 2 

TheQi^{^\-^2.yofSal<vationp€7fealy 

adapted  to  make  Men  holy  .420,42 1 

F  f  A^arioufi 


The    CONTENTS. 


Various  Questions  occafi- 
onally  confidered  in  the 
fecond  Difcourfe, 

"pf^HAT  ivas  implied  in  the  Death 
tbreatned to  Adzxa  ?    Pag.z^g 

What  is  the  Difference  betvjeen  the 
Law  of  Nature  and  the  firft  Co- 
venant ?  260,277,413 

What  is  it  that  does  moji  cofnmoniy 
convince  Men  cf  the  Do^lrine  of 
original  Sin  ?  268 

Why  is  original  Sin  no  oftner  fpoken 
of  in  Scripture  ?  269 

See  alfo    Page  173 

Were  njoe  by  the  Fall  brought  into 
a  State  of  Being  worfe  than  not 
to  be?  288 

Ought  'we  to  be  thankful  for  our 
Beings  ?  289 

Is  it  /xBleffmg  to  ha'veC'h.Wren  ?  29 1 

What  is  the  Nature  of  Satisfd£lion 
for  Sin  ?  327 

Does  it  render  Sin  a  lefs  E'vil,  or  take 
anvay  its  natural  ill-Defert  ?    334 

Does  it  move  the  divineCompaffion  ? 

335 


Jre  the^lc^,  before  Faith,  as  7nuch 
under  /,6^  Wrath  of  GOD  as  others, 
notnxjithjianding  the  Satisfaction  of 
Chriji,  336 

See  alfo  Page  73 

Wherein  conjijis  o^rNeed  o/'Christ, 
and  njohen  is  it  feen  ?       3 1 2,3 1 7 

Why  nvas  Adam  placed  in  a  State  of 


Probation  ? 


315 


Is  a  State  o/'Probation  confijient  ivith 
God''s  making  his  Creature's  Hap- 
pinefs  his  laft  End  ?  318 

Are  all  the  common  Mercies  'which 
Mankind  enjoy,  the  Effeds  of 
CHRIST'S  Merits  ?  346 

In  rwhat  Senfe  did  CHRIST  die  for 
all  the  World?  338 

And  in  'what Senfe  only  for  theEleft  ? 

348 

Is  a  confirmed  Habit  of  Grace  be- 
fore the  iirft  Ad  of  Faith,  or  af- 
ter ?  408 

Does  Faith  confjl  in  belie'ving  that 
my  Sins  are  forgiven  ?  404 

See  alfo     Page  76,336, 


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Mr.  Gideon  Froft. 

Mr.  Edmund  Froft,  jun. 

Mr.  Amos  Fuller,  Sal/bury^  Connecticut. 


Ti/TR.  John  Gay, ,  Connecticut.  2  Books. 

"^      Mr.  Ebenezer  Gay. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Garnfy,   ff'eftbury. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Garnfy,  Bethlem. 

Mr.  Peter  Garnfy, 

Mr.  William  Gaylord,  New-Milford. 

Mr.  John  Gazlay, New-Tork. 

Mr.  Jofhua  Giteau,  Bethlem,  Connecticut, 

Mr.  Francis  Gitteau,  1 2  Books. 

Mr.  Ifaac  Goodale,  Northampton. 

■Mr.  Waitftill  Goodrick  Bethlem,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  John  Gordon,  Vakntowny  24  Books,  Rev. 


SUBSRIBERS. 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Graham,  Southhury, 

Mr.  John  Gray. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Graves,  ffj/i-^^n;/^,  MaffachufetU, 

Mr.  EHjah  Grant,  Litchfield^  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Gregory,  Phillippi^  New-York^  6  Books. 

Mr.  Joihua  Greenleaf,  Newkury^  Majfachufetts. 

Mr.  Timothy  Greenleaf. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Gridley,  Fanningtown^  Connecticut, 

H. 

"D  Ev.  Mr,  Elias  Haven,  Wrentham^MaJ[achufetts,6Bo6k^. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Hanchet,  Salijbury^  Connecticut, 
Gideon  Hawley,  A.  B.  Stratfield^  6  Books. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Hambhn. 
Mr.  Conftant  Havens,  Long-Jfland^  New-Tcrk, 
Mr.  James  Hains. 
Mr.  Nathan  Hallfey. 
Mr.  Ifrael  Hallfey. 

Mr.  Daniel  Hausford,  Canaan^  Connecticut, 
Mr.  Daniel  Hausford,  jun. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Hawley,  Readings  6  Books. 
Mr.  James  Hamilton,  Litchfield, 
Mr.  Hugh  Hannah,  Bethlem. 
Mr.  James  Hannah. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Haven,  Framingham^  Majfachufetts, 
Mr.  Elkanah  Haven,    2  Books. 
Mr.  Samuel  Harris,  Newbury. 
Jonathan  Haftings,  M.  A.  Cambridge, 
Mr.  Barzilla  Hendee,  Bethlem^  Conne^icut, 
Mr.  Bartholomew  Heath. 
Noah  Hinman,  Efq;  Woodbury, 

Mr.  David  Hide.  ■ 

Mr.  Benjamin  Hitchcock,  Bethlem, 

Mrs.  Sufannah  Hill. 

Mr.  Ahira  Hill. 

Mr.  Jacob  Hill,  Cambridge. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Hill. 

Rev.  Mr.  Ivory  Hovey,  Rochefter^  i2Books. 

Mr.  William  Homes,  Bofion^  2  Books. 

Hezekiah 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Hezekiah  Hooker,  Efq;   Bethlem^   Conn£5ficut. 

Mr.  Hezekiah  Hooker,  jun. 

Mr.  Jefle  Hooker.  • 

Mrs.  Abigail  Hcoker. 

Mr.  Elifha  Howell. 

Mr.  David  Holcomb,  Canaan. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Houlchet,  Salijluij, 

Mr.  Ifrael  Holley,  jun. 

Mr.  Samuel  Hopkins.  

Mr.  Edward  Howell,  Long-IJland,  New-2^ork. 
Mr.  Arthur  Howell. 

Mr.  Samuel  HoUiiler,  jun. Ccnne^ficut, 

Ephraim  Hubbel,  Efq-, - 

Mr.  John  Hubbard, 

Mr.  Samuel  Hutchinfon.  

Mr.  Reuben  Hyberd,  Bethlenu 

I. 

JV/JR.  Samuel  Jackfon,  Litchfield^  ConneBicut. 

Mr.  Stephen  Jagger,  Long-Ifland^New-Tcrk. 
Mr.  Ifaac  Jefllip. 

Mr.  Mathew  St.  John, Come^icut.  ^ 

Rev.  David  Judfon,  Newtown. 
Mrs.  Rachel  Judd,  Bethlem, 
Mr.  Ifaac  Judfon,  fVoodbury, 

K. 

IV/TR.  James  Kaflbn,  TVoodhury^  Conne5ficut, 

Rev.  Elifha  Kent,  Philifpi,  New-York,  6  Books. 
Capt.  Caleb  Kenrick,  Newton,  Majfachufetts, 
Deacon  Jonathan  Kelfey,  Bethkniy  Ceme^kuty 
Mr.  John  Kernickerbacker. 
Mr.  Samuel  Keeler,  Ridgefield, 
Mr.  Benjamin  Kellogg,  Canaan, 
Mr.  Thomas  Kidder,  Cambridge, 
Mr.  Jonathan  KingQey,  Northampton* 
Mr.  Supply  Kingfley. 
Mr.  John  Kneeland,  Bofton^ 
Mr,  Nathanael  Kneeland.  M^« 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

L. 

A/TR.  Edward  Langdon,  jun.  Bofton^ 
Mr.  Caleb  Lamlbn,  Charleftown. 
Mr.  Ifaac  Lawrence,  Canaan^  Connecticut, 
Rev.  Mr.  Nathanael  Leonard,  Plymouth^  Maffachufctts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Lee,  Salijbury^  Conne5iicut, 
Mr.  Jofeph  Lee. 
Mr.  William  Lee. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Lewis,  Bethlem. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Little,  Newbury^  Majfachufetts, 
Mr.  Simeon  Lyman,  Salijbury^  Co7ine£licut, 
Mr.  David  Lyman,  Bethlem, 

M. 

"\/f  R.  Jofeph  Mann,  Bofton^ 

Mr.  Jonas  Marih,  Canaan^  Connecticut, 
Mr.  Samuel  Marfhal,  Bethlem. 
Mr.  Thomas  Marfhal,  Bofton^  2  Books. 
Mr.  Eliakim  Merrel,  New-Hartford^  Conne^icut,  3  Boolcs. 
Mr.  John  Mead,  Newton,  Majfachufetts, 
Mr.  Edward  Merret,  jun.  Cambridge, 
Mr.  James  Merrit,  Bethlem,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  John  Meigs. 

Deacon  Samuel  Minor,  Woodbury,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Miller. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Milliken,  Black-Point, 
Mr.  David  Mitchel,  Cambridge. 
Mr.  David  Mitchel,  jun.  .Student  at  Harvard-College. 
Jedidiah  Mills,  jun.  A.  B.  Stratfield,  Connecticut^  i2Books. 
Mrs.  Either  Mitchel,  Woodbury. 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Minor,  Bethlem. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Mirrick, New-TorL 

Mr.  Samuel  Morfe,  Cambridge-, 

Mr.  William  Morfe. 

Samuel  Moody,  M.  A.  Newbury, 

Mr.  John  Moulten,  Newbury. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Munger,  Bethlem^  ConmcHcut, 

Mr.  Daniel  Munger, 

G  g  Capt 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

N. 

^Apt.  Thomas  Newcomb, New-Tork. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Northrop,   Ridgefieldy  Connecticut, 
Mr.  Benjamin  Northrop,  Newtown. 

O. 

^/JR.  Samuel  Orlcn,  Litchfield,  Conne5ficut, 
Mr.  Benjamin  Ofbern, 

Mr.  Cornelius  Ofborn,  ■ New-York. 

Mr.  John  Owen,  Simjhury,  Connecticut^  15  Books. 


J^Ev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Parfons,  Newhury,  Majfachufetts^  12 
Mr.  Noah  Parfons,  Northampton^  6  Books.       (Books 
Mr.  Jofeph  Parfons, 

Mr.  Jehiel  Pardee, Conne5ficut. 

Mr.  John  Pardee, 

Mr.  John  Pardee,  jun.   

Deacon  Jofiah  Peck,  Banbury y  Connecticut.  3  Books. 

Mr.  Mofes  Peek,  Bojlon, 

Mr.  Ifaael  Peck,   Canaan,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Michael  Perrey,  Woodbury, 

Mr.  Elifha  Perry,   Ridgefield. 

Mr.  Richard  Peet,  Bethlem. 

Mr.  Edward  Phelps,  Litchfield. 

Mr.  Eleazer  Phillips,  Charlefl;own,  Majachufetts. 

Job  Pierfon,  Efq;  Long-IJland,  New-York,   6  Books. 

Mr  David  Pierfon. 

Mr  Jofiah  Pierlbn. 

Mr.  Abraham  Pierfon. 

Mr.  James  Pierce,  Charleftown,  Majfachufetts. 

Mr,  Nathan  Pierce,  Newbury. 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Porter,  Bridgewater. 

Mr.  Elifha  Pomroy,  Northampton. 

Mr.  Nathaniel  Porter,  jun    Bethlem,  ConneSicut, 

Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Prince,  Bofton.  6  Book*. 

William  Prefton,  Efq;  JVoodbury. 

Mr,  Samuel  Prindle,  Canam^  Connecticut. 

Mr; 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Deacon  Henry  Prentice,  Cambridge, 

Mr.  Henry  Prentice. 

Mr.  Jonas  Prentice. 

Mr.  Daniel  Prentice. 

Mr.  Caleb  Prentice. 

Mr.  John  Prodet,  jun.  Bojio7t. 

R. 

TV/fR.   James  Read,   Cambridge. 

•^       Mr.  Mofes  Reed, Conne^icut, 

Ifaac  Royal,   Efq;  Charleftown.  .  » 

Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Rogers,  Exeter^  Nezv-Hafnpjhire. 
R€V.  Mr.  Nathaniel  Roberts,  'Torrington^  i8  Books. 
Mr,  Stephen  Roffiter,  Litchfield. 

Mr.  Samuel  Robbins,  Conne5licut, 

Mr.  Jabez  Rockwell,   Ridgefield. 

Mr.  David  Rockwel], 

Mr   Jefle  Roots,  Woodbury- 

Mr.  Daniel  Roberts, New-Tork. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Rufl,  Northampton^  Maffachufctts, 

Mr.  Jonathan  RulTell,  Connect  cut. 

Mr.  John  Ruffell,   Long-Jftand,  New-Tork. 
Mr.  John  Rumril,  Woodbury^  Conne^kut. 

S. 

"O  Ev.  Mr. Saclcet,  Bedford^  Comeuluut,^%  Books, 

Mr  Jofeph  Sanford,  Litchfield 
Mr.  Zechariah  Sanford,  Long-Ifland.,  New-Tcrk. 
Reverend  Jofeph  Sewall,  D.  D.  Bofi;Gn. 
Rev.  Mr.  John  Searl,  Sharon^  Conne^ficut    6  Books. 
Mr  Benjamin  Shelden,  Northampto/i,  Majfachufetts. 
Mr.  Daniel  Shearman,  Woodbury.,  Co7ine5iicut, 
Mr.  Samuel  Shearman,  Philippi,  New-Tork. 

Mr.  Nathanael  Skinner, Conneciiciit^  6  Books. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Skinnner,  Jun.  Bolton.,    6  Books. 

Mr.  Nathanael  Skinner,  2  Books. 

Mr.  Samuel  Slater,  Bethlem. 

Obadiah  Smith,  Efq;  Long-Ifiand^  New-Tork. 

G  g  2  Deliverance 


SUBSCRIBERS, 

Deliverance  Smith,  A.  B.  ^  Conm5ficiit, 

Mr   Samuel  Smedley,  Litchfield^ 

William  Smith,  A.  B.  Long-Ifiand,  New-Tork. 

Mr.  Daniel  Smith,  jun. 

Mr.  Jofeph  Smith,  Newtown^  Come5ficut, 

Mr.  Thomas  Soden,  Cambridge. 

John  Sprague,  Elq^ New  Tor k    6  Books. 

Mr  Jonathan  Sprague, Comie^icut. 

Mr.  Ebenzer  Sprague, Conneuticut. 

Mr  Reuben  Spaulding,    Canaan, 

Mr.  William  Spencer,  Salisbury. 

Capt.  Jofiah  Starr,    Bajibury, 

Mr.  Comfort  Starr,  Danbury,  Merchant.   12  Books. 

Mr.  Daniel  Starr,  Banbury^  Merchant 

Mr.  Nathan  Starr,   Student  at  Tak-ColJege, 

Capt.  Eiiilia  Stoddard,  Woodbury, 

Mr.  EUiba  Steel,   Bethlem, 

Mr.  Solomon  Steel. 

Mr.  Luke  Stebblns,  Spiingfield,  Majfachufetts.   2  Books. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Stedman,  Cambridge. 

Capt   Caleb  Strong,  Conne^ictit. 

Mr.  Jofiah  Stoddard,  Saiijhtiry, 
Mr    Jonah  Strong 
Mrs  Anne  Stone,  Bethlem, 
Mr    Samuel   Strong. 

Mr   Rowland  Sweatland, Comte^ficut. 

Mr  John  Symmes,  Bofi-on, 


"O  Ev.  Mr  Nathanael  Taylor,  New-Milford^  ConneElicut, 
Mr.  Mofes  Taft,   Student  at  Harvard-College. 

Mr  Tunis  Tappin,  New-Tork 

Mr  Zebulun  Taylor,  Litchfieldy  Conne5licut 

Capt.  Robert  Tammage,  New-Raven.  6  Books. 

Mr.  Ezra  Terril!,  JVocdbiiry. 

Mr  Recompence  Thomas,    Ridgefteld 

Mr  Ebenezer  Thorn oibn,  Bethlem^   Conne5licut, 

Mr. 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Mr.  William  Thomas,   Marlborough,  Majfachufetts, 
Mr  Enoch  Titcomb,  Jun.  Newbury. 
Jofiah  Topping,  A,  B.  Long-IJland,  New-Tork. 
Henry  True,  A-  B-    Cambridge^ 

Mr.  William  Tucker,  Conne^icut* 

Mr.  John  Twifs,  Woodbury^ 


np\.  L.  Vankleeck, —  New-TorL 

Theodorus  Vanwyck,  Efq-, New-Tork,  1 2  Books.' 

W. 

\/f R.  Ifaac  Watibn;.  Cambridge, 

Mr.  Jacob  Watfon. 
Mrs.  Rofannah  Watfon,  Bethlem,  Conne5iicut, 
Mr.  Jofiah  Waters,  Baft  on.    2    Books. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Webfler,  Litchfield^   Co?ine5ficut, 
Mr.  Jofeph  Weeks,   Dorcefi^r,  Majfachufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Ebenezer  White,  Banbury,  Conne^icuL'^yBooks^ 
Rev.  Mr.  Sylvanus  White,  Long-IJland,  New-Tork, 
Capt  David  Whitney,  Canaayi,  Conne^icut, 
Deacon  Jabez  Whitclefey,  Bethlem. 
Mr.  Samuel  Whitney,   Canaan, 
Mr.  William  Whitney. 
Mr.  David  Whitney,  Jun. 
Mr.  Jofiah  Whittleiey,  Bethlem, 

Deacon  Samuel  Whittemore,  Cambridge,  -. 

Benjamin  White,    M.  A.  Brookline. 
Mr.  Jonathan   White,  Weymouth, 
Mr.  Elnathan  White,  Long-IJland,  New-York, 
Mr.  Ebenezer  White,  jun. 

TheHon.  Jofiah WillardjEfqj  Secretary  o^  th.tMaj[achufetti, 
Mr.  John  Willard,  Student  at  Harvard-College. 
John  Williams,  Efq-,  Sharon,   Conne^icut.  2  Books. 
Mr.  William  Winte'r,  Bofton. 
Mr.  Noah  Wifwall,  Newton,  Majfachufetts, 
Mr.  John  WoodhuU,  Long-IJland,  New-York, 
Mr.  David  Woodruff.  Mr. 


SU  B  S  C7t  I  B  E  R  S. 

Mr.  Charles  Woodruff,  Litchfield^  ConneEiicut. 

Mr.  Jacob  Woodruff. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Woodruff. 

Mr.  Gideon  Woodweli,   Newbury^  Majfachufetts* 

Mr.  Noah  Wright,   Northampton. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Wright,  ConneSiicut, 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Wyeth,   Cambridge, 
Mr.  John  Wyeth. 


T>  Ev.  Mr.DavidYoungs,Lo;^^-i^^;/^,  New-Tork.  3  Books. 
Anthony  Yolverton,  Efq-,  •- New-TorL 


N.  B.  i/^  there  Jhould  be  any  of  the  Names  in  the  foregoing  Lift 
without  their  proper  'Titles^  wrong  fpelt^  or  Places  of  Abode 
not  right  infertedy  we  defire  to  be  excufed, 

"^And  as  on  a  careful  revifal  of  the  foregoing  Pages  we  have  not 
cbferved  any  material  Errata^  except  a  few  Literals^ 
we  hope  the  candid  Reader  will  excufe  the  fame  ♦,  efpecially 
conftdering  the  Author'' s  Diftance  from  the  Prefs^  andfo  had 
not  the  Advantage  of  his  PerufaL 


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